skip to main content

Great deal on Brazilian Teak (Cumaru)... now what to do with it?

17 years ago

We got an amazing deal on unfinished cumaru flooring (1.40 per foot)at an auction this weekend. We now have 3,000 square feet of this flooring sitting in an unfinished garage as we were not ready to purchase flooring but couldn't pass up the deal. Everything that I have read is about acclimating the flooring to the house prior to installation. I can't find anything about storage prior to the acclimation period. We are building a new home and are about to have the doors and windows installed, but it will be a month or so before HVAC is installed and operating. Is it ok to leave the wood in the garage as long as it is covered by tarps to avoid getting wet or should we bite the bullet and move it to a climate controlled storage facility?

Comments (6)

vfish
17 years ago
Wow, you did get a great deal on that wood. I currently have about 3500 sf of the same stuff sitting around in a warehouse until I can ship it down to my house. I think that as long as you can control how much moisture the wood receives, you'll be fine. As soon as you possibly can, get it into the house to acclimate and also to keep it dry and safe. You will need to check the moisture content of the wood periodically to ensure it is dry enough and ready to install (this is what we did with our brazilian blond cherry hardwood flooring we installed previously).
My opinion is that if you are keeping it dry, you will be ok, get it indoors asap, but this is not going to ruin it. You may want to call a hardwood floor person and ask the same questions as well.
Roman Rytov
16 years ago
suelynnb, what auction did you buy it at?
Related Discussions
Brazilian teak- Robinson Lumber-Pets and Humidity
Q
Comments (2)
Thank you for your review. Brazilian Teak is on the top of my list. We have concrete sub floors, so I need engineered and floating. Any thoughts on this? I also need to educate myself on humidity - I'll have to Google "hygrometer".
...See More
Good brand for Brazilian Teak/Cumaru??
Q
Comments (15)
The truth of the matter is ony 40 % of the pre-finished exotic species coming in from S. American are prefinished in this 3rd world country (Brazil) @ ... 60 % comes in he the USA with all 4 sides micro-beveled (MB4) and finished state side then put on the different branded boxes. The USA prefinishers, have proven over the years to be better, and produce a higher quality finish. Most of what you get is 7 coats aluminum oxide w/ a 25 year warranty & a 35 % sheen the Key is getting a clear grade of lumber to start. Buying on line can be tricky as most on line vendors offer low price and sell china style with the random lengths being 1 - 4 BE care as they only say RL. True brazilian style production is RL 1- 7 foot just like USA oak. if a floor is priced $ 1.00 - 2.00 below market there is a reason. # 1 reason is it is short RL 1 - 4 (china production) # 2 is the grade of lumber is not Clear. And remember clear grade is 1st grade / select & better is 2nd grade and select grade is 3rd
...See More
Cumaru (Brazilian Teak) Installed
Q
Comments (5)
Thanks! I can't wait until the trimwork gets done and we can move back in. We found our installer by word of mouth and had heard wonderful things about him. A co-worker of my husbands has had hardwood installed by him two different times and said he always checks in after awhile to see how the floors are doing. He brought me the samples to look at many months ago from a couple different manufacturers and we told him then which one we wanted when the time came to install. For the life of me I can't remember what the name of the manufacturer is. I'll try to give him a call one day next week and ask him. It is solid wood and I believe it is 4" or 4-1/4" or so wide. We didn't want 3" or 5". It was amazing how quick he was. He had one guy helping him and they arrived here at 11:00 and were gone by 3:30. What I really liked was that he took all the packaging (trash) with him when he left and made sure the floor was spotless and free of any dust and residue when he left. Very thorough.
...See More
Experience with Brazilian Teak Cumaru Stability
Q
Comments (3)
its true that exotic species are a lil more finicky about temp swings. so thats where a good HVAC system comes into play. and i mean a good one. keeping the relative humidity at a constant. If you like the look of Cumaru then great, but dont get it because you think your dogs wont scratch it. they will. the finish will scratch, and you will see indentations from the dogs, if their active enough to where you worried about it, be prepared to see some flaws caused by them. they wont be gouging the floor but they will definitely mark it up.
...See More
kitchenkelly
16 years ago
I have no idea on how you should store it but wanted to chime in on your purchase.....I had cumaru installed a month ago and I LOVE it. You are going to be so happy with your decision. Enjoy!
polkadots
16 years ago
Kitchenkelly:
Would you mind posting some pictures of your Brazilian Teak and is it prefinished or site finished? If prefinished who is the manufacturer? Thanks.

Sorry to hijack the thread, but it was an old one so I hope it's okay...
kitchenkelly
16 years ago
It was site finished and I still need to have the last finish coat applied. I can't take a pic for a few more weeks. My contractor covered it while the rest of the remodeling is being completed so it doesn't get damaged. He covered it with sheetrock and paper on top of that to protect it (he is quite the perfectionist.) But is drives me crazy. I want to look at it!

I am attaching a link of a thread that has teak/cumaru. Mine has a little more variation in color and thinner boards. Good luck with your decision!

Here is a link that might be useful: wood flooring link
breezy_2
16 years ago
Here's what you need to do. Send me your name and address and I'll send you a check for $600 for just 330 sqft of it...that's all I need for a deck.

Seriously, keep it protected from the weather as you have done. Put it in the house when the time comes but it likely won't be climatized by the time you are laying it. The flooring contractor should test it and the subfloor with a moisture meter before installation. The moisture should be b/t 7% & 16% I believe and the flooring and subfloor s/b within 4% of one another. I just went through this using a different type wood and everything turned out fine. Some of mine had been in storage for several years.

Seriously though, what type of auction did you find this at? I would love to use cumaru on our covered deck but I have only been able to find this in a good grade at $5+/sqft. What grade is yours?

Sign Up to Comment

Related Stories

REMODELING GUIDES Your Floors: Zebra, Tiger, and Teak Wood, Oh, My!

Get the Pros and Cons of Exotic Woods: Hickory, Cherry, Rosewood and More

REMODELING GUIDES Seal the Deal With Fiber Cement Siding

By Bud Dietrich, AIA

Chameleon-like, durable and low maintenance, fiber cement gives home exteriors of all shapes and styles a winning edge

MOST POPULAR 8 Great Kitchen Cabinet Color Palettes

By Jennifer Ott Design

Make your kitchen uniquely yours with painted cabinetry. Here's how (and what) to paint them

KITCHEN COUNTERTOPS Kitchen Countertop Materials: 5 More Great Alternatives to Granite

By Kathryn Peltier Design

Get a delightfully different look for your kitchen counters with lesser-known materials for a wide range of budgets

GARDENING AND LANDSCAPING Houzz Call: Show Us Your Great Patio, Deck or Rooftop!

By Becky Harris

Give your patio a chance at the spotlight as we head outdoors for a new summer ideabook series

DECORATING GUIDES Decorate With Intention: Great Vision, Small Budget

By Laura Gaskill

Can you just picture how you want your home to look but feel stymied by lack of funds? These suggestions can help

ROOM OF THE DAY Room of the Day: Great Room Solves an Awkward Interior

By Mitchell Parker

The walls come down in a chopped-up Eichler interior, and a family gains space and light

BATHROOM DESIGN What to Use for the Shower Floor

By Debbie Snider

Feeling Good Underfoot: Shower Tiles, Mosaics, Teak Slats and Pebbles

CONTEMPORARY HOMES Houzz Tour: Manhattan Penthouse Is High on Style

By Carol Crotta

Blackened steel, glass, teak and a color-shifting staircase make this home a contemporary feast for the eyes

MOST POPULAR You Can Turn That Into a Bathroom Vanity?

By Rebecca Gross

Find inspiration in 13 unconventional bathroom vanities that are as functional as the real deal

Sponsored

Kuhns Contracting, Inc.

26 Reviews

Central Ohio's Trusted Home Remodeler Specializing in Kitchens & Baths

More Discussions

Floor & Decor Pearson White Oak Flooring reviews??

2

Scratched on a newly finished hardwood floor

3

Carpet decisions.

4

Bona HD Finish on raw maple: to seal or not to seal

0

Floor & Decor Aquaguard laminate

0