With current industrial-age practices, we have managed to significantly diminish the planet’s trove of valuable resources, and natural systems are suffering as a result. A much too common practice that leaves one of the most visible scars on the face of the planet is deforestation. In the last century we have cut down trees at such a rate that, currently, only about 30% of the world’s land area is still covered with forests (compared with about 66% forest cover some 11,000 years ago). What little is left is being decimated at an astonishing rate, with figures indicating an area as large as six football fields is lost every single minute. Estimates show that rain forests could completely disappear within one hundred years.

Of all the lumber produced in the entire world, the United States alone consumes 25% of it. We seem to have an insatiable desire for wood in our buildings. And unless we’re careful, we could be purchasing the very species of wood that are illegally cut down in endangered ares like the Amazon.

Rating systems, like the FSC certification, already exist to help us opt for alternatives that do less harm. While that is commendable, we wanted to find alternatives that could do no harm at all. Well, that was a pipe dream, we soon learned, but we did come across mesquite. Mesquite comes in many species, but three in particular are quite abundant in the Southwest: velvet mesquite, screwbean mesquite, and honey mesquite. These trees have many qualities that make them a rapidly renewable option for wood flooring, etc. They grow fast (2 to 3 feet per year), they are native to dry, arid climates, so they require very little water (in fact, too much water can kill them), and they, like bamboo, have extensive root systems that allow a tree to regenerate even after it’s cut down or after grazing animals chew off the tops of seedlings. Additionally, it serves as a further source of nutrition for animals and humans: wild animals feed on their bean pods, humans can use the beans for flour, and, when the trees flower, bees use the nectar to create honey with an apparently distinctive flavor. When you take into account the role that mesquite wood plays in smoking meats, you are left with a tree that has a variety of uses. It’s very hardiness makes it a pest for ranchers, but some people and companies are starting to harvest it for the very properties of the wood. Though the trunks are small, the wood is actually very strong. For wood flooring applications, only Brazilian Cherry is stronger.

Not too long ago, we were looking for a unique wood product to use in two of our projects. Constantine Commercial brought to our office the Mesquite End Grain tiles, and we fell in love with them. Here’s why this is one of our favorite products: Constantine sources the wood from Falls City, Texas. There, their suppliers grow, mill, and ship the product directly to a specified job site. While the suppliers do grow their own mesquite, they also obtain wood by clearing trees off the land of local landowners. Because of how prevalent this species is in the area, they can afford to cultivate only mature trees (those that are between 40-60 years old). And they don’t discriminate based on species, so a batch of tiles can come from one or multiple types of the tree. Once the trees are down, they are dried in a furnace powered not by electricity, but by burning scraps from previously milled mesquite logs. Scraps are never wasted; those that don’t make it into the furnace are offered to locals for heating their own homes. The tiles themselves are shipped in raw form. You can obviously stain them, but a simple clear coat for protective purposes is more than enough to have them ready for any application. As with any natural product, there will always be some difference from one small title to the next, and that variability is enhanced in this case because of the multiple species that are used. But once it’s all together, the product looks just beautiful.

So, the next time you’re looking for a wood product for flooring, wall covering, ceilings, or countertops, consider mesquite. We used the tiles as wall paneling, but they are certainly versatile enough for a variety of applications. Aesthetically, mesquite is right up there with bamboo and cork for its uniqueness, with the added advantage of being native to the U.S. Have you ever used mesquite? If so, tell us about your experience with it.

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