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Coconut wood flooring is not a wood, it comes from the palm family. It is one of the fastest growing species on the planet. It reaches maturity in 5-6 years making it a truly sustainable resource. The coconut palm tree is grown in hot areas. It likes frost free areas and grows in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Pacific region. The trees grows near seas in these areas so the roots can find moisture. In the US, it is found only in Hawaii, the southern tip of Florida, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

Palms produce nuts for up to 80 years, then non producing palms are removed and replaced. Once the old palms that have completed their coconut bearing years have been removed, those trees are used for flooring.

As the rainforest continues to be tapped for timber needs, coconut palms have been overlooked and under utilized resource.

Like bamboo, it is either a natural tan color or a darker carbonized honey color. Also like bamboo, it is offered in vertical or horizontal configurations. It is also offered in strand configurations. The vertical grain version accentuates the linear look while the horizontal format reveals more of the true character of bamboo. Strand coconut has the most homogeneous look.

To maintain coconut flooring, it is a simple as maintaining typical hardwood floors. Mats should be used to prevent dirt from entering the room and scratching the floors. Spills and standing water should be wiped up immediately. Oil soaps should be avoided. Furniture should be carried and not dragged across the floor. Chair protectors should be used under the furniture.

One company – coconutwoodfloorings.com uses material from plantation grown coconut palms which are abundant throughout much of the world. Coconut wood floorings can vary greatly in color and density. They use only hard, dark palm for their look and durable surface. The wood produced is all solid wood rather than engineered wood.  Their goal is that through their work, palmwood will one day be recognized as a valuable building resource and help reduce rain forest harvesting.