Mesquite is well above average in density and hardness. Stability is the most important aspect when considering the type of material to be used for flooring. Most of us consider stability only in the sense of how much a certain measure of wood shrinks as it dries. There are other factors that are necessary to review when considering something as stable. Wood is dimensionally stable when the moisture content is above the fiber saturation point.
Wood changes dimensions as it gains or loses moisture below that point.
It shrinks when losing moisture in the cell walls and swells when gaining moisture. The combined effects of radial and tangential shrinkage can distort the shape of wood pieces because of the difference in shrinkage and the curvature of the growth rings. This fact, in addition to the very low shrinkage values, sets mesquite above all of the other flooring woods when considering stability. The numbers in the chart reflect the dimensional change coefficient for the various species, measured as tangential shrinkage or swelling within normal moisture content limits of 6-14 percent. Tangential change values will normally reflect changes in plainsawn wood.