7 Disadvantages Of Acacia Wood (Plus Some Benefits!)

Acacia wood is among the most widely used woods in the furniture industry. It is gorgeous, and can effortlessly last a lifetime. Even nicer, acacia performs magnificently in the outdoors.

Acacia wood, unfortunately, is not without flaws. Despite an unending number of positive attributes, acacia has several flaws that make it difficult to like in some situations. So, what exactly are the disadvantages of this type of wood?

Acacia wood is extremely sensitive to temperature changes, making it high maintenance and prone to crack. Furthermore, acacia is a difficult wood to source, and it’s very difficult to work with due to its hardness ranking (Janka rating 2,300) and also how heavy it is. It’s also higher priced due to the need for importation.

We will look at a few of the downsides of acacia wood and the most important things you must know about Acacia wood below. Let’s get started!

Even though acacia is among the strongest woods, it doesn’t fare well in extreme temperatures. For example, it cracks easily in hot temperatures.

Acacia furniture will easily degrade in areas with hot daytime temperature levels and also in the freezing winters as well.

This wood swells during times anytime the temperatures shift abruptly or go to the extremes. Acacia furniture is therefore unsuitable for outdoor use.

If this is the only resource you have for furniture pieces, make absolutely sure to rotate it to avoid overexposure to the elements. Furthermore, prevent direct exposure to sources of heat such as light from the sun and the fire pits.

Because acacia wood is not native to Europe or the United States, this can be tough to locate in these regions. You will have to buy it online or through a local specialty lumberyard.

Acacia wood is hard to come by. Although some manufacturers will sell this furniture, the accessories, and other items, finding acacia wood at your local Home Depot or lumber yard may be difficult.

If you live in the countryside with few businesses, it may be hard to find the right material for your project. Again, online would be your best bet to finding it

Sadly, acacia wood furniture requires a lot of upkeep to keep its aesthetic and physical characteristics.

For example, to remove dust and prevent dirt accumulation, you will need to clean acacia furniture with a mildly dampened cloth on a regular basis. Otherwise, the surfaces will become too dry and will start to crack.

You cannot, however, simply drench the rag in anything you wish and call it good. Silicon and ammonia-based cleaning products, for example, are out of the question because they consist of properties that can cause acacia to dry out.

Instead, use a mild soap and warm water solution to clean the furniture. Finally, if you don’t oil your acacia hardwood with specific preservatives, the threat of warping increases.

To provide better UV protection, numerous experts suggest pigmented finishing oil instead of transparent oil. Unfortunately, few people are prepared to provide this level of care.

Some people adore acacia wood’s unpredictable, irregular grain structure. Many people, however, find it complex and difficult to integrate into existing décor.

Despite the fact that no wood is perfect, many hobbyists prefer working with a normal and consistent grain pattern. However, acacia has a lot of knots.

Wood knots come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but the three main types are sound (tight), unsound (loose), and enveloped knots. Regardless of the type, these knots disrupt the consistency of wood fibers, and even sometimes cause them to break.

Knots have two significant effects on woodworking. For starters, they destabilize solid wood. The knot area degrades into a weak link. This helps make knotted wood pieces unsuitable for applications that require substantial loads, such as trying to make wood bed frames.

Second, the unusual grain components make it hard to integrate furniture into existing décor. You must be extremely cautious not to disturb the existing balance.

Acacia wood has a Janka hardness rating of 2,300, making it harder than hickory and white oak. While this is beneficial in terms of reliability, the excessive hardness helps make the wood extremely difficult to work with.

Some hardwoods cannot be cut with hand tools and must be cut with power tools. Admittedly, acacia is one of those woods.

It is even more difficult to cut than maple, one of the toughest domestic woods, with a Janka hardness rating of 1,450. That goes on to tell you all you need to learn about acacia wood’s workability. Acacia is similar to bamboo in terms of difficulty.

Furthermore, acacia is quite heavy. Working with heavy wood types is difficult because you must frequently lift wood pieces. While this is no problem when laying the floor, the difficulty is in the sawing, trimming, smoothing, joining, and so on.

When the wood is fairly heavy, this becomes more difficult. Transporting large trunks is also a huge challenge. Remember that acacia is not native to North America. It is primarily imported.

Ultimately, many enthusiasts and their clients dislike acacia wood because, despite its many drawbacks, it is still very expensive. It’s important to remember that “expensive” is a relative term.

Acacia is less expensive than some other exotic woods such as mahogany and rosewood. So, if you’re willing to pay for mahogany, you’ll have no difficulty paying for acacia wood.

It is, however, substantially more expensive unlike many American hardwoods, such as maple and oak. The average cost per foot for 44 Australian Blackwood acacia is $7.90, with overall costs reaching $10.50 per foot.

And in the meantime, soft maple costs approximately $5 per foot, whereas hard maple costs approximately $6 per foot. At around $3/foot, red oak becomes even more affordable.

For these reasons, it may be more cost-effective to use locally available options such as oak rather than acacia.

Yes, acacia wood is essentially waterproof. It’s a popular misunderstanding that almost all wood is absorbent and thus not water-resistant, but that’s not true of acacia.

This hardwood appears to contain oils that act as a primary sealant, making it moisture and decay-resistant.

However, there are a few things to know about preserving acacia wood in surroundings where it will be regularly exposed to water.

If the wood is not sealed, it will dry out and end up losing its ability to resist moisture over time; therefore, if you have acacia furniture this could be a problem.

We suggest implementing a sealer about once a year before the wet and windy season begins to keep it waterproof.

If you’re going to use acacia wood for just an outdoor table, don’t let water sit on top of it. Even though it’s practically waterproof, the accumulation can end up causing deformation and splitting if left uncorrected over time.

Make sure that you take the time to dry off any spills instantly with a smooth cloth or paper towel.

Acacia wood doesn’t scratch easily. It is a rare hardwood that can endure wear and tear from common use and abuse.

It has a Janka hardness overall score of 2,300 lbf, making it more difficult than Teak (1,155 lbf) but milder than Oak (1,120 lbf).

Because of its resistance to moisture and insect damage, this wood is commonly used for hardwood, decking, as well as other outdoor applications.

However, because it does not scratch or dent easily, it is also an excellent choice for furniture.

Remember that these are only estimates. The price can be influenced by various factors like where you currently reside, the brand and style you select, and tough installation areas including a staircase.

You must also consider the flooring design. Some have inlays or fancy borders, which are optional.

Staining is another consideration. The colors and types of stains, as well as the design, will vary. A two-tone layout with a spiffy border will, of course, cost more than a single particular color.

Acacia is so popular because it is extremely long-lasting, absolutely gorgeous, and can effortlessly last a lifetime.

Even better, acacia continues to perform excellently in the outdoors. It’s one of the few wood species that can withstand harsh weather, including freezing winters.

As a result, woodworkers naturally gravitate toward acacia. However, it’s not fit for everybody, especially those who are opposed to uneven grain, heavy wood, or anything of high maintenance.