People are hearing a lot about zebrawood countertops these days, but few know much about it. Most of the wood comes from Gabon and Cameroon in Central Africa. Because of its striped wood, Zebrawood is a popular exotic hardwood used for tables, furniture and even high-end guitars.

Zebrawood Fast Facts:

• Stripes can be wide, thin, very wavy or almost straight
• Use zebrawood for an entire piece or to accent a larger piece

Increasing Your Home’s Value with Exotic Hardwoods

If you’re interested in hardwood countertops but want something truly upscale, you’ve probably priced exotic woods. Zebrawood countertops are actually less expensive than other exotic hardwoods. They suit different home styles and are an investment that will grow more beautiful with time.

Zebrawood countertops are stiff and strong, suitable for daily use. Because woodworkers use it to build boats, skis and handles for hand tools, it’s definitely designed to withstand daily home use. It’s unusual beauty instantly ups the value and visual interest of your kitchen.

Speaking of Visual Interest

Zebrawood is a showy wood. The heartwood, the innermost layer of the wood, is striped. The shade of the stripes is usually sepia, while the “background” is a warm, pale brown. The striping pattern varies from tree to tree and can be relatively straight or very wavy.

When choosing zebrawood countertops, we recommend the pieces of lumber with the straightest stripes for large projects. Lumber with very wavy stripes is best saved for small pieces like tools, pens, eyeglass frames or jewelry boxes.

Pairing zebrawood with other busy surfaces, elaborate furniture or intricate patterns can overwhelm the eye. Zebrawood looks great with white walls, black cabinets and surfaces and stainless steel appliances.

Zebrawood Countertops and Your Home’s Style

If you want to bring the warmth of wood into a minimalist kitchen, zebrawood is an ideal choice. Zebrawood will also provide some much-needed visual interest to a kitchen with a lot of stone and stainless steel.

Zebrawood works best with complementary, neutral hardwoods. For a traditional kitchen, less densely-striped zebrawood is the best choice.

Accessorizing Your Countertops with Zebrawood

Some of our clients love zebrawood but aren’t sure about using it for an entire countertop. If you want a useful, artistic conversation piece, you can use zebrawood as a countertop inset. Adding a wood extension to a marble or granite countertop is a trendy and easy way to upgrade your kitchen without huge remodeling expense. Depending on the colors in your stone countertop, zebrawood can enhance it while extending your workspace.

Using Zebrawood Outside

Zebrawood can be a good choice for an outside countertop or bar. A zebrawood countertop and bar combo is durable and will spice up your outdoor entertaining space. The increasing popularity of home entertaining makes dedicated outdoor countertops a sought-after feature and sets your house apart from others.

Eye-Catching Bathroom Countertops and Vanities

The new popular use for zebrawood is upscale bathroom countertops and vanities. A zebrawood counter and basin sink will make your half-bath luxurious. If you want to makeover your master bath, just switch out your old wooden vanity for zebrawood.

Zebrawood is an exotic and valuable investment in your home. Call Maryland Wood Countertops today at 443-840-7373 to discuss exotic countertops for your home.