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Windsor Plywood has been a trusted source for specialty lumber and hardwoods across western Canada for decades. Our specialty lumber selection goes well beyond standard framing grades, offering premium domestic and imported hardwood species suited for fine furniture making, custom cabinetry, architectural millwork, and decorative woodworking projects of all scales. Species available include hard maple, red oak, white oak, walnut, cherry, birch, alder, poplar, and a rotating selection of exotic and figured hardwoods depending on current inventory. In addition to solid hardwood lumber, we carry live edge slabs, figured wood for tabletops and accent pieces, and hardwood plywood in species to match. Windsor Plywood staff are knowledgeable about the properties and working characteristics of each species and can help you select the right material for your specific application. Visit your local Windsor Plywood to browse current specialty lumber stock and discuss your project with our team.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is jatoba and what are its main characteristics?
Jatoba (Hymenaea courbaril), also called Brazilian cherry, is a South American hardwood with a Janka hardness of approximately 2350 — nearly twice as hard as red oak. It has a medium to coarse texture, an interlocked grain, and a salmon-red to orange-brown colour that deepens to a richer reddish-brown with light exposure. Jatoba is used for flooring, furniture, cabinetry, and turning.
Is jatoba actually a type of cherry?
No. Jatoba is called Brazilian cherry for marketing purposes, but it is botanically unrelated to American or European cherry. Jatoba's appearance, hardness, and working properties are significantly different from true cherry. Jatoba is much harder than cherry, has a more orange-red initial colour, and lacks cherry's fine, consistent grain. The name Brazilian cherry is a trade name rather than a botanical description.
Why is jatoba used for hardwood flooring?
Jatoba's extreme hardness makes it an excellent flooring material in high-traffic residential and commercial applications where dent resistance is important. Its attractive warm colour and the way it deepens with light exposure are design assets. Jatoba flooring is durable enough for commercial applications where domestic hardwoods would show unacceptable wear in a shorter time frame.
Is jatoba difficult to work with?
Yes. Jatoba's hardness and interlocked grain make it more challenging to machine than domestic hardwoods. It dulls tools quickly and can be prone to tearout in hand plane operations. Blunted tools produce burning and poor surface quality. Carbide-tipped saw blades, router bits, and drill bits are essential. Pre-drilling is required for all fasteners to prevent splitting.
Does Windsor Plywood carry jatoba?
Windsor Plywood carries jatoba as a specialty exotic hardwood for flooring, furniture, and woodworking applications subject to current availability. Contact your local Windsor Plywood branch to confirm current stock and dimensions available for your project.