I'm surprised your question hasn't gotten any responses yet: would have thought some one here would have some 'hands on'...

I suppose everyone is waiting for everyone else to answer !
Similar questions have been posted at intervals over the past few weeks/months.
Lyptus is a hybrid of two eucalypts, chosen for their fast growth and suitability for plantations. The timber is an excellent flooring timber and the color is pinks, gold and light brown /red.
It is photosensitive and the pinks and reds turn towards gold and light brown respectively -- as is the case with many eucalypts.
Browse these photos for some indication of what it will look like

Here is a link that might be useful: Tasmanian Oak [Lyptus look-alike floors]

I've been watching this for responses, too. I'm planing to use lyptus flooring for the 3 bedrooms in the house I'm building.

Here's some additional website info I found helpful.

Here is a link that might be useful: Lyptus

I noticed the flooring was from Brazil,have you looked at BR111 brand? If you are using 3/4" flooring they offer a prefinished floor with a 20+ year warranty.Lyptus flooring is softer than red oak and also has a high sensitivity rating,things to consider. I chose Br111 Timborana, if you haven't seen it you might check it out. It is harder than lyptus and has very little sensitivity. Good luck

Gary

They used Lyptus for flooring and kitchen cabinets on the Food Network kitchen makeover with Alton Brown. It look really nice, at least on TV. The one thing that they mentioned, that made me interested in it, is that it's one of the hardest woods that you can get for flooring. When Gary mentioned it is softer then red oak, I went to the Weyerhaeuser site and found on their sales pamphlet that, "Compared to similar woods, its hardness rating (MOR) is greater than white oak, mahogany, jatoba, red oak, hard maple or beech." Is there some other information that says it is softer then red oak? I think I'll try to find a local dealer that has samples and that a closer look.

oliver

Gary and Oliver,
Lyptus, with a Janka [hardness] rating of 2228, is nearly twice as hard as Northern Red Oak [1290] or Southern Red Oak [1060]
The other consideration is conservation -- the Lyptus is plantation grown

CavU-

Love the bathroom- is that the rainforest green marble? I want that for the master bath.. How's it holding up?

I'm still planning to go with Lyptus wood on the bedroom floors, but it'd be nice to get more information on how they hold up.

I stand corrected on the hardness for Lyptus. Looks to be a good choice.

Gary

Osorry1,

Yes, it is Rainforrest green. I was told it is actually a sandstone, not a marble. I didn't care what it was, I just liked how it looked. It's been holding up fine, but I'm so worried about etching it I keep almost all the cleaners I use far away from it. It's been almost a year so I'll probable hit it with a coat of sealer at the same time I do the granite in the kitchen. I think I might follow the daylight savings time schedule so I'll remember.

I hope someone can give you more input on the flooring, the wood really does have a beautiful grain.

Cavu2you

I realize you wrote months ago, but I just happened to do a search on Lyptus today, which I have done periodically for the past year. It seems very few people have heard of Lyptus, much less used it in their home.

Our Lyptus kitchen cabinets arrived two days ago and are sitting in our garage, awaiting kitchen demo, etc. We love the grain and, most importantly, that it's plantation grown. It regrows from the original cut stump at a rate of 100 feet in 15 years, versus 100 feet in 50 years for other woods. Our problem was finding a cabinetmaker who would work with Lyptus, as no one (literally) had ever heard of Lyptus. Finally, one great guy said he would do it, and while it is a very hard wood, it was comparatively easy to work with. The finishers in his shop were amazed at the grain and quality of the wood overall. Can't wait to see them installed.

I'm considering replacing my red oak floor with Lyptus. I also saw it used in the Food Channel kitchen remodel with Alton Brown - they just re-ran the show a couple of weeks ago. I'm going to see it in person this weekend but I'm wondering how the pricing of Lyptus compares to the red oak. Does anyone have any information on this and what I can expect?

I, too have been looking at lyptus. It was quoted right around $5/sq. ft. at a few nearby stores. It looks great, and is very hard, but I like bamboo a lot too, and can get it for less than half the cost. So I'm still trying to decide. Any further feedback on lyptus flooring is appreciated!
Matt

I used Lyptus wood for my kitchen cabs and my trim guy and floor guy both gave compliments. It is a beautiful type of wood. The graining is deep and dark and consistent (esp. if you get the edge grain). The unfinished color is very close to cherry - it is "red". Don't stain it too dark as it is already photo sensitive (it will darken over time) and plus you will lose the detail of that wonderful grain. Price wise, it should cost only as much as cherry.

My stair case and floors are red oak. The natural finish really compliments my darker cabinets.

In terms of using it as flooring, it should only be a matter of time when it becomes more mainstream. The price for it as flooring should go down. But if you have to do it now, use it for cabs because they sure are show-stoppers!

We just completed the installation of about 1200 sf of prefinished Lyptus (natural finish) flooring, replacing 20 yo carpeting and vinyl in our hallways, family room, kitchen, dining room, study, and powder room. It looks FANTASTIC. It cost a bit less than $9/sf installed, and the installer did a great job with careful board placement for maximum visual effect. Boards were both glued and nailed for maximum stability. The floors look so nice that we're in no hurry to move the furniture back in.

heitzca - can you post some pictures of your finished Lyptus floor so we can see how it looks? How wide are the planks?

We used 4" x 3/4" planks. I'd love to post pictures, but I have been unable to figure out how to make that happen.

Lyptus is a great way to if you haven't seen the Lyptus fire you are really missing out. I first saw it in a showroom locally and then started doing research online. I a sample of Lyptus Fire from Floormall online. Love it so much I ordered my 1800sqft. @ $4.69 per sqft. Lyptus flooring online with Floormall and they had it shipped to my home within 5-7 business days across the country which was great. I can't wait to have it installed this week.

Here is a link that might be useful: floormall

We just installed Lyptus in our kitchen, family room and hallway. It looks gorgeous! I love the coloring and variation. We paid $7/sq ft. plus an additonal $4/sq. ft. for installation. The floor is 3" and 3/4 inch thick.

We recently installed Lyptus wheat. It is out of this world. We purchased online from truehardwoods.com.
They were great. They even sent us a free sample before our purchase.

Here is a link that might be useful: truehardwoods.com

I loved the Lyptus Natural in the store and the Lyptus Wheat engineered wood samples. Luey or anyone else do you have pics in your home of either of these two floors?

The Janka Hardness Rating is 1550 it says per the Lyptus Manufacturer so it is harder than oak but not as hard as Amendoim, Brazilian Cherry or Santos Mahogany. This post says it is a photosensitive wood so that means it will darken with light and age. From pictures from someone on this list for the Engineered Lyptus Fire and from bringing the sample home from the store, it appears that the fire color is what I like as well as the Brazilian Cherry. The Wheat color is beautiful but due to my fluorescent lighting in my home office, the Wheat stain appears a bright light orange so that is not good for my office.

I thought I made up my mind on what I was getting on my floor but then I changed my mind and I must get this decision over with. I actually like some of the glossy laminates but after having big samples on the floor and walking on them, I know I will be cleaning the smudges from frequent visitors in my home office. Hence, I do not want an floor with a higher than semi-gloss finish.

So now I am unsure if I should pay more for the softer Lyptus Fire Engineered beautiful stained floor (so may not get too much darker and the color change under my furniture may not be so much of a difference if I move one day) or pay less for the harder Brazilian Cherry color that love and deal with the color change under the floor.

I love the pictures of the kitchen cabinets in the Lyptus Wood. Thanks cavu2u for posting.

I just learned about lyptus from a custom cabinet maker. We're looking at red birch for the cabinets and lyptus for the floor. The unfinished flooring actually comes in grades of pinks/browns and we're looking at a lighter version with a natural finish as it does darken.

I wish more people knew of this wood given it's renewable qualities.

We had the Lyptus "Fire" installed about two years ago and are very happy with it. We were a little concerned with the dog scratching it up, but it hasn't been that bad.

Does anyone know where to get a stain to match that color?

I have lyptus flooring all over my house, done in 2005. It was by the Wehrhauser(sp?) company, I think. It is actually quite soft, so easily gets dented or gouged. If it gouges, I just marker or putty in a like color and it blends fine. At the time I could chose a distressed plank, but chose the flat which is now somewhat distressed. It has changed color in the direct hot sun of my sliding glass door. It is absolutely beautiful, and I love it. I am looking for more.

Otsbork, I love your floors! Now I wish I went with the Lyptus Fire!

Meganclark139, any pictures of your Lyptus flooring? It was one of y favorite hardwood floors when I was looking.

Maybe my son can send pictures.