Wood species vary enormously in price, and at the very top of that range sit a handful of genuinely rare, remarkable timbers. They're worth knowing about even if they're not realistic for most flooring projects, since understanding what makes them so valuable also explains why the far more accessible species used in everyday flooring behave and look the way they do.
What Actually Drives A Wood Species' Price
Rarity is the main factor. A species that only grows in a handful of specific regions, in limited quantities, will always command a premium, and several of the timbers below are genuinely restricted to a small part of the world. Hardness and density matter too, the denser and harder a wood is, the more difficult and time-consuming it is to work with, which pushes the price up further still.
Ebony: Rarity And Near-Stone Hardness
Ebony isn't a single species, it's a group of dark, extremely dense timbers from the Diospyros genus, and different varieties come from genuinely different parts of the world:
- Gabon ebony, from Central West Africa, prized for its exceptionally deep, consistent black colour and almost invisible grain.
- Madagascar ebony, native to Madagascar specifically, sharing many of the same characteristics.
- Macassar ebony, from Indonesia, which tends to show more visible striping and grain contrast than the near-solid black of African varieties.
Ebony's hardness genuinely approaches stone-like density, which is part of what makes it so difficult to source and work with. It's also worth knowing that several ebony species are subject to CITES trade restrictions due to over-harvesting concerns, so if you ever do come across ebony flooring or accents, verifying legal, sustainably certified sourcing isn't optional, it's essential, both ethically and for the timber's long-term availability at all.
African Blackwood (Mpingo): About As Rare As It Gets
If ebony sits near the top of the price scale, African blackwood, also known as Mpingo, sits above it. Native only to specific dry regions of Africa, it's an extraordinarily dense, hard, dark timber, valued as much for its rarity as its almost-black colour and fine texture. In practice, though, it's essentially never used as an actual floor covering. Its extreme hardness makes it genuinely difficult to mill and work with at any scale, and its rarity means the vast majority of Mpingo that does reach market goes toward woodwind instruments, clarinets and oboes in particular, where its density and tone are specifically prized, rather than flooring.
A Realistic Way To Get A Similar Look
If the deep, near-black aesthetic of ebony genuinely appeals but sourcing the real timber isn't practical, which for most projects, it honestly isn't - there's a straightforward alternative: a lighter, widely available species like maple, finished with a dark, ebony-toned stain, gets remarkably close to the same visual effect at a fraction of the cost and with none of the sourcing complications. Walnut is another genuine option if you want real depth of colour without reaching for an exotic species at all, since it carries a naturally dark, rich tone on its own.
Rare And Exotic Wood Flooring: Common Questions
Is ebony flooring something most people can realistically buy?
Not really, for practical purposes. Ebony's rarity, cost, and CITES trade restrictions on several species make it impractical for most flooring projects, which is why a stained alternative is usually the more sensible route.
Is African blackwood ever actually used for flooring?
Essentially never. Its extreme hardness and rarity mean the timber that does reach market is almost entirely directed toward woodwind instrument making rather than flooring.
Can I achieve an ebony-like look without using ebony itself?
Yes, and it's the practical route for almost everyone. A lighter species like maple finished with a dark, ebony-toned stain achieves a very similar visual result on real, sustainably sourced timber.
Why does rarity matter so much for wood pricing?
A species restricted to a small growing region, combined with genuine difficulty working the timber due to its hardness, both push cost up significantly, which is exactly the combination behind ebony and African blackwood's extreme pricing.
Call us on 020 7036 0625 or request a free site visit and we'll talk through realistic species and stain combinations that get you the look you're after.
