A Stunning Embedded Nature Scene
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This year’s winner in the WFOY Circles/Curved/Bent Wood category is a stunning embedded nature scene created by Tom Ourada. Ourada is known for intricate and artistic wood flooring designs, so when his clients expressed a desire for an elaborate wood floor that would flow seamlessly from the kitchen into the rest of the house, he set about incorporating natural images to bring the outdoors inside.
The project grew out of the previous floor sustaining water damage. Gradually, the design concept expanded from the kitchen to include the home’s entryway and living room. The design showcases native birds, a blue epoxy river with a Russian Olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia) border winding 60 feet through the kitchen and dining room and culminating in a stunning circular medallion in the entryway. The design incorporates an osprey nest, two ospreys, two eagles, and a 6-foot-10-inch compass in the shape of a log end cut with Lake Coeur d’Alene depicted in epoxy at the center. A jagged Maple “lightning” element in the medallion mimics the appearance of fossilized wood. The medallion features book-matched Black Walnut and Elm, with inner rings crafted from reclaimed Brazilian Cherry (Hymenaea courbaril) sourced from pallets (also commonly called Jatoba). Other species used in the application include Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia), Wenge (Millettia laurentii), African Mahogany (Khaya Ivorensis), Blackwood, Lacewood, Mango (Mangifera indica), Alder (Alnus rubra), and Peruvian Walnut (Juglans spp.).
SPOTLIGHT ON: JATOBA / BRAZILIAN CHERRY
SPECIES: Hymenaea courbaril
ORIGIN: Central America, Southern Mexico, Northern South America, and the West Indies
COMMON APPLICATIONS: Flooring, fine furniture, cabinetry, architectural details, shipbuilding, joinery and turnery, and small specialty items.
CHARACTERISTICS / APPEARANCE: Heartwood varies in color from a light orange-brown to dark reddish brown, sometimes with contrasting grayish brown streaks. Color tends to darken upon exposure to light. The sapwood is a light grayish yellow, clearly demarcated from the heartwood. Grain is typically interlocked, with a medium to coarse texture, and good natural luster.
JANKA HARDNESS SCALE: 2,690 lbf
COMMENTS: Jatoba bears little relation to the American cherry (Prunus serotina). Jatoba can be moderately difficult to work with because of its density and hardness. It can be machined to a smooth surface except when planing where tear-out occurs due to interlocking grain. Jatoba glues, stains, turns, finishes, and responds to steam-bending well.
Eight different inlays comprising some 8,500 hand-cut pieces were meticulously assembled into the floor. The process of selecting and integrating thousands of handcut pieces, some as small as 1/8" X 1/8" into the floor, is like painting with wood, according to Ourada. “You have a palate, and each piece has its own unique characteristics. It’s about making everything flow and match seamlessly. If done properly, you cannot see where one piece ends and another begins.”
Ourada drew inspiration for the 265 square foot floor from designs and ideas he has compiled in his 15-plus years as a hardwood flooring artist. “I try to learn something new with every floor I do. Every floor is a new challenge in that sense. It’s a process of problem solving, and, for me, that’s the drive, the inspiration.”
Ourada often scavenges for found or reclaimed wood. “Found wood is way more interesting and distinctive than purchased wood,” he says. “Plus, it’s exciting to turn what some might consider trash wood into something beautiful.” Ourada is particularly partial to Russian Olive, which is abundant in his home state of Washington. “It’s got a beautiful, even grain and a smooth warm feel to it. It talks – and it smells good. Among exotics, he favors Wenge because “it’s just so black.”
Frequently asked questions
Who won the WFOY Circles/Curved/Bent Wood category and for what project?+
Tom Ourada won the WFOY Circles/Curved/Bent Wood category for a 265 square foot embedded nature scene floor that flows from the kitchen through the entryway and living room of a client's home.
What wood species were used in Tom Ourada's award-winning nature scene floor?+
The floor incorporates Russian Olive, Black Walnut, Elm, reclaimed Brazilian Cherry (Jatoba) from pallets, Black Locust, Wenge, African Mahogany, Blackwood, Lacewood, Mango, Alder, Maple, and Peruvian Walnut.
What design elements are featured in the entryway medallion?+
The entryway features a 6-foot-10-inch compass shaped like a log end cut, with Lake Coeur d'Alene depicted in blue epoxy at the center. It also includes a jagged Maple 'lightning' element mimicking fossilized wood, with book-matched Black Walnut and Elm and inner rings of reclaimed Brazilian Cherry.
How many hand-cut pieces were used in the floor and how small are they?+
Eight different inlays comprising approximately 8,500 hand-cut pieces were assembled into the floor, with some pieces as small as 1/8" x 1/8". Ourada describes the process as 'painting with wood.'
What are the characteristics of Jatoba (Brazilian Cherry) wood?+
Jatoba heartwood ranges from light orange-brown to dark reddish brown, sometimes with grayish brown streaks, and darkens with light exposure. It has interlocked grain, medium to coarse texture, good natural luster, and a Janka hardness of 2,690 lbf. It can be difficult to work due to its density, with tear-out common when planing.
Why does Tom Ourada prefer using found or reclaimed wood?+
Ourada finds reclaimed wood more interesting and distinctive than purchased wood, and enjoys turning what some might consider trash wood into something beautiful. He is particularly partial to Russian Olive, which is abundant in his home state of Washington, for its even grain, smooth warm feel, and pleasant smell.