StewartFloor Blog

Looking for an Exotic Wood Floor?  Perhaps someone has mentioned The Lacey Act to you?  In a nutshell, the illegal logging ban was passed during the Summer of 2008 and is an amendment to the US Lacey Act.  This amendment impacts anyone who is involved in the import, sale or trade of wood which is harvested illegally.

We support this wholeheartedly!  It protects the world’s forests and protects buyers who practice due diligence and buy from ethical supply chains.  We only buy from a couple of suppliers in all of South America and we import all containers with our own import bond.  This is granted by the USDA.  Additionally, this amendment helps to curb low cost imports which many times can be low cost because they are avoiding government regulations.

We believe in clients being able to enjoy the wood floor of their choice, but doing so legally and ethically.  This helps provide longterm jobs and livelihoods for native peoples as well as insuring future supplies for generations to come.  We work with family owned businesses with the same philosophy and which work within the government guidelines for the betterment of all of our lives.

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“Good Things” to keep in mind when considering your new wood floor purchase from an internet source:

• It’s relatively inexpensive to start a business and launch a website
• It costs very little to offer products for sale on a website
• Does the website you are considering to purchase your new floor from actually own an inventory or simply offer manufacturers products for sale?  This is unfortunately very often the case which means the site is purchasing flooring from an importer or distributor.
• Does the website company have any influence or control over the quality control of the flooring production?  This is a key element in protecting yourself.  If a company has no investment in inventory and no control over the quality of the product they are selling this is a red flag.
• We own all the flooring we sell.  The difference?  We are completely invested in the process from start to finish.  We have exclusive relationships with manufacturers in Brazil, Paraguay & Peru.  We inspect everything we purchase and offer for sale.  Although we currently do not have a storefront, we maintain a half million dollar investment in Exotic Wood Flooring between our 4 warehouses.
• We are specialists!  We are available to answer any and all of the questions you may have and help you navigate between fact and fiction in the world of exotic wood flooring.
• As the old adage goes, “if it sounds to good to be true, it probably is.”  We have 13 years experience in brazilian hardwood flooring.  We are here to help educate you so that you can make a sound buying decision and one made with confidence.
  

  Stewartfloor flooring being prefinished in Paraguay

  

  Stewartfloor Brazilian Cherry Flooring being inspected on grading table in Brazil

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Looking for a fine grain and extremely durable wood in shades of salmon and red…….check out Tiete Rosewood Flooring. This is a sophisticated choice which will show extremely well in traditional or modern spaces. It will exhibit a medium amount of color change when compared to other red species such as Brazilian Cherry Flooring. This is an important point as customers select flooring materials based on the color they are looking at, rather than understanding what it will look like after exposed to light. Stewartfloor imports Tiete Rosewood Flooring from Paraguay and it is finished with Klummp Coatings of Germany with a silky smooth protective surface. Call us today and discover the difference 13 years of Exotic Wood Flooring knowledge makes.

Tiete Rosewood Flooring

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We love it when our customers are pleased!  It’s very satisfying when our prefinished solid wood flooring has made such a dynamic impact in their living space.  These photos are from one of our recent clients in Illinois just after installation of his Amendoim flooring.  Call us today and experience the difference.  Direct importers and never any tax!  Nationwide shipping.

Prefinished 4" Amendoim Solid Wood Flooring by stewartfloor

Prefinished 4" Amendoim Solid Wood Flooring from stewartfloor

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Just finished with our new exclusive finish and absolutely gorgeous, Tiete Chestnut or Sucupira if you prefer, like  you’ve never seen before!  If you are interested in this uniquely grained floor and are looking for a richly colored brown floor, you owe it to yourself to call us today.  This exclusive finishing process allows stewartfloor to capture this species in all of its majestic greatness without covering it up with the usual flooring finish.

Tiete Chestnut or Sucupira

Tiete Chestnut or Sucupira

Tiete Chestnut or Sucupira

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Please check out our gorgeous 3/4″ x 3″ solid prefinished Brazilian Walnut or Ipe flooring.  In stock and ready to beautify your home.  As always, we are direct container importers and own what we sell.  This picture is of our flooring on the grading table after prefinishing.  We don’t tint or stain our products.

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Gorgeous & Unique Interlocked Sucupira Grain Pattern

Stewartfloor is excited to once again offer Tiete Chestnut/ Sucupira Prefinished solid wood flooring.  We are offering this exceptionally elegant choice in 3/4″ x 3-1/4″ width with lengths of 1′ to 7′.  As with everything we sell, we directly import this product from one of our longtime suppliers.  No middlemen and no tax!  Call us today.

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Wood is like no other natural product on earth!  Hardwood flooring adds an undeniable warmth to any home or commercial space.  Wood flooring has many advantages when compared to other flooring materials such as carpet, among them are health benefits.  Unlike carpet, wood flooring is allergy friendly and easy to maintain.

When choosing among various wood species for your interior, there are several key points to keep in mind to guarantee your satisfaction.

1.  Color is the first consideration given the fact that flooring is the major canvas for overall interior design.  One simply cannot underestimate the importance of color and its impact in your overall design goals.

2.  Once the color range has been decided, your personal lifestyle is an important consideration.  This comes into play considering the density of one species over another and practical wear and tear.  Tropical species have a major advantage in this consideration when compared with traditional domestic species.  The species offered at StewartFloor range from 25% harder up to 3 times harder when compared to domestic species.  What does this mean to you?  Although like all woods, they will still dent and scratch, tropical woods will do this to a lesser extent compared to domestic species such as Oak & Maple.

3.  Species of wood are as unique as individuals.  It’s important to consider your climate and how one species behaves in your climate compared to another species.  Wood is hygroscopic and this means it adapts to the environment it is in.  During the winter months with the heater on to maintain a pleasant environment, wood will shrink and this is what creates the “gaps” you commonly see in the floor.  There is nothing wrong with the floor and it is not defective, it’s simply shrinking due to the dryness in the air.  In the summer months, more humidity means the wood swells again and the gaps fill in.  Some woods shrink less than others and are more stable than others, if this is a critical point for you, then comparing species stability should be on your list of considerations in selecting the right species of wood for your new floor.

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Are you looking for the ultimate wood flooring expression and a plantation product?  We have partnered with an existing supplier on bringing Plantation Teak (Tectona Grandis) from plantation in Brazil to the North American Market.  We will be offering 3/4″ X 3-1/4″ X 1′ to 7′ as well as 3/4″ X 5″ X 1′ to 7′ lengths.  Product will arrive in July, inquire today to be among the first taking advantage of this offering.  Teak is the ultimate hardwood with a great history unmatched by all species other than Big Leaf Mahogany or Genuine Mahogany as it is called.  As you see below, we are really working hard to bring products to market in direct containers to save you money!  Teak blanks to be processed into flooring shown below.  Watch this space for an even bigger surprise…..

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Stewartfloor Flooring being Boxed in Paraguay

Does the person you are speaking to actually own the flooring he/she is proposing to sell to you?  Do they have any investment outside of buying the flooring from an importer and selling it to you?  Here at Stewartfloor we are involved in every process along the way.  I purchase directly from the manufacturer in the country of origin.  We have coordinated a cohesive package of the most unique and sought after tropical species available and coordinated all the trim work to match for your convenience.  All products are run to my specification in Brazil, Paraguay and Peru based on my 13 years of experience in the Exotic wood business and processed by a few of the finest manufacturer partners.  These partners have been selected based on their quality approach and respect for nature.  All products are finished to our specifications, packaged with foam between the layers to protect your investment and packaged in our Stewartfloor branded box.  Do we have to do it like this, no, but it is my personal commitment to you.

Stewartfloor Product Prefinished in North Carolina

Stewartfloor Container Which Has Just Been Prefinished To Our Specifications

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