Cumaru

The Tree: Cumaru is a large rainforest tree that grows up to 30 m in height in the Amazon. It can be found in the tropical rainforests of Brazil, Venezuela, Guyana, French Guiana, Suriname, Peru and Colombia. It produces a gray to black seed or bean that is 2-5 cm long and about 1 cm in diameter that are commonly called "tonka beans." This huge rainforest canopy tree is quite prevalent in Brazil.

Principal Uses: Cumaru's uses include flooring, decking, cabinetry, canoes, pianos, and general construction.

Appearance: The sapwood of Cumaru is very similar to the heartwood with little change between the two, which ranges from tan-ish to deep brown in color. Over time the color of Brazilian Teak (as it is sometimes referred to) will "flatten out" slightly. The species has an irregular, slightly interlocked grain and is coarse and wavy in texture.

Properties: Cumaru is resistant to insect attack and decay. Cumaru can take some time to dry properly due to its propensity to shrink when freshly cut, but does have good stability characteristics once dry.

Workability: Because it is such an impressively dense wood, cumaru can provide a level of resistance to cutting blades. Pre-drilling is suggested as splitting can occur with the dried form of this species. Cumaru sands well but can take some effort to finish as it resists treatment. The dust arising from working Cumaru wood flooring has been known to cause a slight allergic reaction on contact with skin, and as such some care should be taken in installing and preparing this product.

Other Interesting Information: Cumaru Decking boasts a fire rating of Class A, the same as concrete or steel. With the popularity of Cumaru in prefinished flooring and other uses, many lumber suppliers have started to classify Cumaru in two different categories: "Light Cumaru" and "Dark Cumaru" with Light Cumaru being the most popular selection for flooring. Previously, the wide range of colors left many flooring purchasers with too wide ranging colors to be satisfied with the end result. The high global demand for Light Cumaru has made this lumber hard to source.  Our standard Cumaru stair treads are Dark Cumaru.  On occasion, we are able to source Light Cumaru but the availability is not high enough for us to offer it as a standard species color.  If you look at the pictures or samples of our Dark Cumaru and find that you need a lighter version, please contact us for availability on Light Cumaru.