Colors of Cypress Timber Floorboards

Cypress Characteristics

• Cypress is somewhat softer than pine and may dent if you aren't careful. The wood can be deeply grained with subtle waves of coloring, or exhibit broad color changes. Some grades of cypress are almost entirely free of knots and imperfections, while others are speckled, spotted and knotted to offer a rustic feel. Cypress planks are typically installed using a tongue-in-groove method and can be nailed or glued for added stability.

Native Cypress

• Cypress varieties native to the U.S. include, Lawson cypress and southern cypress. Lawson cypress is a very light colored, almost white wood with contrasting dark knots. It is not commonly used as flooring in the United States, but does grow naturally in the Pacific Northwest. Southern cypress is found in the southern part of the U.S. throughout Florida, Georgia and Louisiana. It exhibits a wide range of color variation from a honey brown and whitish-yellow, to almost red.

Australian Cypress

• Australian cypress is one of the harder varieties of cypress making it ideal for use as flooring. Its natural habitat is a semi-arid part of Australia, making it less likely to warp, expand or contract when exposed to moisture variation. It can vary greatly in color. Sapwood is generally straw to cream colored, while heartwood is dark honey to brown. Dark, contrasting knots occur throughout the wood.

Sinker Cypress

• During the late 1800s and early 1900s, logging companies cut cypress and hauled it down rivers for easy transportation. Occasionally a log would sink to the bottom. These "sinkers" are now hauled from the bottom of riverbeds and used as lumber for floors, furniture and even carving. Reclaiming this wood helps reduce demand on North America's forests. Varying in color from gray or white to reddish honey, sinker cypress often bears the scars of life in a watery home. Pecky sinker cypress has been invaded by a fungus and is mottled with gouges and holes, giving the wood a rustic, aged look.