What Is Rubberwood For Furniture? (Pros, Cons & Cost)

Rubberwood sounds like something that belongs in a funky Looney Tunes cartoon, doesn’t it? Funny as the name sounds, this is a legit type of material that’s used in daily construction. Chances are that you, like most other people, probably haven’t actually heard about it though. It’s still getting popular. So, what is rubberwood?

Rubberwood is wood that is derived from the rubber tree. Rubber trees are grown and used to collect latex from ages nine to 30. Once the tree can no longer be used for latex and rubber sap collection, it’s repurposed by being sold as wood. This wood is known as rubberwood.

Curious about this material? Rubberwood is one of those woods that’s increasingly popular among builders and others. Let’s talk about why this wood is getting so darn popular.

Rubberwood is lumber that is derived from rubber trees that can no longer produce latex sap. The trees grow in Southeast Asia and South America. When they reach past the age of 30, they are harvested and used to produce affordable lumber for the furniture, flooring, and construction industries. So, uh, rubberwood is just wood.

Of course, rubberwood isn’t always called rubberwood. Because many people get a little confused by the moniker, many companies started to call it “parawood” or even “Malaysian Oak” as a way to conceal the fact that it’s made from the rubber plant.

This is a great question. Rubberwood has a wide variety of different colors and shades it can be dyed. When you first cut it, it’s a honey yellow. Usually, it turns a deep golden brown with pink flecks when it’s properly treated and exposed to heat. The end result is a “rose gold” type of look that’s very pretty in its own right.

In terms of grain, there is a slight roughness to it that makes rubberwood look extra rugged. This makes it a good choice for people who want something affordable and a little gritty. If you wanted to have a smooth look to your wood, this may be a bad choice for you.

Believe it or not, manufacturers are still learning the full versatility of rubberwood. So far, people have become very amenable to using it to create furniture like beds, chairs, dressers, as well as tables. There are a couple of companies that also make wood flooring, molding, and paneling.

Basically, the best way to consider rubberwood’s uses is to ask where you’d use MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard) and assume it’s best to use rubberwood there. It’s the real wood alternative for MDF.

Rubberwood is a bargain hunter’s best friend, especially if you are looking to purchase a brand new set of furniture at a fraction of the typical cost of what it would normally cost. It’s anywhere from ⅓ to ⅕ the price of a more “standard” type of wood.

How much you’ll pay will depend on the way it’s been treated and the place that you buy it from. In most cases, it’s a price tag that will be comparable to particle board furniture. However, if you are trying to find a supplier that will give you raw lumber, you usually have to reach out to them to get a price check.

It’s hard to understand why there are so many stores that are super tight-lipped about their rubberwood prices. According to a lot of sources, it has to do with low demand.

Rubberwood, in and of itself, is not the source of toxicity. Heck, even the wood stains you use aren’t the cause for concern that many people have. Rather, it has something to do with the fact that rubberwood attracts a lot of pests such as termites and carpenter ants. It also happens to be a magnet for many molds and fungi.

In order to combat the problem of pests, manufacturers have to treat the wood with chemicals that make the wood less attractive to pests. This can include toxic ingredients like the following:

Rubberwood is clearly not for everything. The fact that it is sensitive to water to the point that it can turn into a mold-riddled mess is a big issue, and one of the primary reasons why it’s not as popular as other sustainable options. This means that you should never try to use this wood when making outdoor furniture, since it will probably not last a year outside.

Other important types of furniture to avoid making with this wood include shower benches for walk-in showers, poolside furniture, sauna furniture, and kitchen furniture. Oddly enough, there are companies that make rubberwood countertops. However, we are not going to suggest it unless it’s been heavily vetted and covered with a protective resin coating.

Is rubberwood easy to stain?

When compared to other woods such as teak, rubberwood is capable of taking wood stains incredibly well. If you want to stain your rubberwood furniture, it’s possible to do that pretty well. You can expect to have a seamless, elegant look from virtually any rubberwood furniture that has been treated with a stain.

Of course, quality is also a matter to consider. High quality stains will always get you better result than stains that are lower in quality.

Why is lumber becoming so expensive?

Many of the hidden costs of lumber sourcing, including things like planting the trees, harvesting them, and transporting the lumber, are starting to cost more. Between the gas for the transport and the import fees, you might have noticed a higher price tag last time you hit up your local lumber yard.

It’s also worth noting that many types of lumber are starting to become increasingly scarce. To avoid “scarcity premiums,” you should look into buying sustainable wood.

What is the strongest wood in the world?

The strongest wood in the world is Australian buloke, which has a hardness rating of over 5,000 IBF. Chances are that you will never see this uniquely powerful tree in wood stores, though. It’s rather rare, and also happens to be notoriously difficult to work with. If you want a hardwood that works well with most tools, it’s better to stick to teak or mahogany.