Jatobá decking boards: the species Americans know as Brazilian Cherry flooring, milled for outdoor use.

Jatobá (Hymenaea courbaril) grows across the Amazon and Brazil's Atlantic forest. The tree exudes a copal resin, jutaicica, that was traded for centuries as varnish and incense. The wood is a rich salmon red that deepens to burgundy brown in sunlight; it is hard, heavy and naturally resistant to decay. In the US it is best known indoors, which is exactly its advantage outdoors: it lets a builder carry one species from a Brazilian Cherry floor to the porch, the covered deck or the exterior stairs. For fully exposed decks we recommend kiln dried stock, 1/4" gaps and a UV finish to control movement and color change. Not listed under CITES.

Species specifications

• Botanical name: Hymenaea courbaril

• Janka hardness: 2,690 lbf

• Density: approx. 910 kg/m³ (57 lbs/ft³)

• Color: salmon red to orange brown, darkening to deep reddish brown with UV exposure

• Grain: interlocked, medium to coarse texture

• Durability: durable against decay, moderate insect resistance; best performance on covered or well-ventilated decks, porches and stairs

• CITES: not listed