Rare and Exotic Wood For Homes. A Complete Guide

Given that we ship so many products we use in our homes worldwide, and carbon offsets can be purchased, let's forgo the shipping issue for now. Then, the primary criteria for purchase need to be on how it was grown and harvested. In other words, it needs to be sourced responsibly.

This guide provides you with an overview of different types of tropical wood and their attributes. For more detail, the best database we've found online is Eric Meier's The Wood Database.

Wood Durability In Our Homes

One of the most unfortunate aspects of modern home construction is that homes today rarely incorporate quality timber into their construction and design. The stick frames of our houses are made from 2x4s sourced from softwoods such as pine or fir. The plywood sheathing encasing the walls of our home is most likely made from spruce or cedar. On the inside of our homes, engineered wood products are the norm, with laminate flooring and MDF baseboards, molding, and even cabinetry being standard construction practices. Often, the exterior siding is made from vinyl, designed to mimic the natural look of wood.

Softwoods and engineered wood products are certainly less expensive than sourcing solid oak or cypress rafters for your home. But, they are also less durable. Many of these products are treated with potentially dangerous chemical additives that could off-gas VOCs into your home.

Hardwood timber will last several lifetimes when adequately cared for. And, the diversity of grain and color of the hundreds of rare and exotic tree species offers an opportunity to adorn your home with a unique look. Below, we provide descriptions of some of the most beautiful exotic timbers worldwide and how to incorporate them into your home.

Environmental Wood Sourcing Impacts

The exotic timbers reviewed above will assuredly add a touch of beauty to any home. However, finding ways to source this timber sustainably should be a prime consideration for homeowners who care about sustainability. 

To name just one example, the big leaf mahogany tree is an extremely slow-growing hardwood tree found throughout Central America, Mexico, and parts of the Amazon Rainforest. However, the great demand for this popular dark hardwood tree has led to significant impacts on illegal logging and deforestation. In the Amazon, illegal logging of the mahogany tree is causing fragmentation of the rain forest. This fragmentation is exposing the fragile ecosystem to further degradation. In Central America, the big-leaf mahogany has declined by over  70% since 1950. 

How Can Tropical Wood Be Purchased Sustainably?

PEFC Certification

One way to source hardwood timber from sustainably managed forests is to find products with the PEFC certification. PEFC is the world's most extensive forest certification system and certifies mostly smaller, non-industrially managed private and community forests. This certification system has hundreds of thousands of family forest owners certified in sustainable forest management. 

FSC Certification

The Forest Stewardship Council, FSC International, is another forest certification system that specializes in tropical hardwoods. They have certified over 18 million hectares of tropical and subtropical forests. They work with small landowners and indigenous communities worldwide, and their certification process helps these people find alternative source income through the sustainable management of their hardwood forests. Learn more about the five largest wood certification programs.