From Cavemen to the Enterprise, Jatoba Is the Deck Building Material of Choice

Wood decking stands the test of time. From Cavemen to Modern-men, we have been using wood as a building material for centuries. It is beautiful and a reminder of our roots. Wood is so primal; it is the accent that we use to show off our most important possessions. Even in the Star Trek universe of the future, the most important areas in the 23rd century were made with wood. Many times Captain Jean-Luc Picard addressed his staff from a wood rimmed conference table.

Unlike in the 23rd century, you can easily afford exotic hard wood here on Earth. The most dramatic addition you can make to your home is a Jatoba deck or Brazilian Cherry deck. Jatoba is one of the newer Brazilian hardwoods in the American market.  However, it has been well know in Brazil for centuries. It is prized for its russet red color.  Actually, Jatoba is one of the most beautiful of the Brazilian woods.  Many people, once they see Jatoba, prefer it over Ipe. Ipe or Brazilian Walnut has been in the US market for decades. Many people assume all Brazilian woods are Ipe and don’t realize that they are in fact, different woods.

The red color is not the only reason to add a Jatoba deck to your home. Actually, Jatoba has many different attributes that endear it to Americans. Jatoba and Brazilin woods are very different than our domestic grown American hard woods. Brazil has much more dramatic seasons. The woods have to be much stronger in the Southern hemisphere as opposed to our more temperate northern. For example, Jatoba is hard. To dramatize, Jatoba is over twice as hard as Red Oak. Oak has been used in the US for centuries in everything from floors to furniture. You see Oak floors in many homes built before wall to wall carpets were brought to the masses. These oak floors are decades old. Imagine, Jatoba is over twice as hard.

The hardness of Jatoba deck is not only limited to its durability. This hardness protects it from the ravages of insects and molds.  Insects like Pine Beatles and Termites cannot get purchase on Jatoba deck. They just move on to a more inviting, softer wood. Do not worry about deck installation. One of the reasons Jatoba deck is becoming more popular as it is easily worked with modern carbide tools.

Real Jatoba is Real Wood. Today many things that were once natural are now manufactured. You do not have to wait for the 23rd century to have plastics all but overwhelm your life.  You can even find plastic decking. The terms are disguised as composite decking but to paraphrase Juliet, a rose by any other name… Composite or any of the trade names are still plastic, still manufactured, and still boringly consistent from plank to plank. Jatoba has uniqueness from board to board that reminds us of nature’s bounty.

Captain Picard brought wood with him to the outer reaches of space.  You can get Jatoba right here on Earth. Advanced Building Supplies has a large inventory of Brazilian Cherry, Cumaru decking, Jatoba decking, Tigerwood decking, Garapa decking, Massaranduba decking and Deck accessories. Their staff is knowledgeable in the installation and maintenance of hardwood decking.  They can help you build the deck of your dreams.