Cypress Flooring
Notes On Cypress Flooring
We don't hear a lot about cypress flooring for a number of reasons, which is somewhat of a shame, as cypress is an excellent wood for flooring. Whether one chooses American cypress flooring or Australian cypress flooring, the results are about the same, and are invariably satisfactory.
One reason we don't see all that many instances of cypress flooring could be that cypress is designated as a softwood, and softwood flooring is more liable to suffer scratches and gouges. It's true that cypress is referred to as a softwood, but that's mainly because the cypress is a conifer, and coniferous or cone-bearing trees like fir or spruce have softer wood. Cypress is a fairly hard wood however, just a bit softer than maple, but harder than mahogany. It's recommended though that cypress flooring be given a hard coating for added protection. Another reason is that cypress trees are protected in many areas, and potential buyers of cypress timber may feel they are contributing to the demise of this wonderful tree. This isn't the case at all, as more cypress is being grown than is being harvested, and the supply of this type of timber is sustainable.
Characteristics Of The Wood - There are two characteristics of the wood that make cypress flooring a favorite. One is the presence of a natural oil in the wood which is an excellent preservative, assuring that flooring will not only be long lasting but exterior uses of the wood will hold up well also. It has been said that Noah's ark was constructed from a type of cypress, though some say it was cedar. Cypress and cedar have much in common however in terms of the oils which act to preserve the wood.
American cypress is lacking in sap, which means it takes well to stains, sealers, and paints. Australian cypress contains higher levels of sap, which can make finishing the flooring with an oil a problem at times. Australian cypress also has more knots, which lend a rustic appearance to flooring and also tends to hide scratches.
In general, cypress is easy to work with and especially easy when it comes to sawing, sanding, and finishing. Nailing can sometimes be a problem though, as the wood can be brittle and has a tendency to split. Those experienced in installing cypress flooring can usually work around this issue with few problems. Cypress is a very stable wood, one of the reasons it is such a good choice for flooring. Planks are very unlikely to warp or shrink, characteristics which can quickly ruin the appearance of a fine floor.
When you purchase cypress flooring the wood itself most likely came from a cypress plantation. In many places in the South, where the cypress tree grows, the tree is protected, and the use of old growth cypress for timber and building is either discouraged or prohibited. The cypress grows with its roots in water and there are many trees, long dead, that have fallen and are submerged, yet the wood has not deteriorated because of the oils in it. Many of these submerged trees have been salvaged and sold as timber, where they command high prices because of the larger amount of heartwood than is typically found in the young plantation trees.
The interior of many homes exhibit cypress flooring or cypress paneling, while on the exterior, cypress siding and decking will be found. One area cypress is not used in is the structure of the building itself, as of its relative brittleness and a tendency to split under loads. Although cypress is widely available, it cannot be found everywhere, and one may have to do a bit of searching to find a good example of cypress flooring. It can be well worth the search however as cypress flooring is just about as attractive as wood flooring can be.