You use the same processes to clean rubberwood furniture as you would with any other solid wood item. 2. This material comes directly from the trees which produce latex, essential in the formation of natural rubber products. The use of rubberwood for furniture is a sustainable industry when the trees are planted and harvested appropriately. I can't say I have ever seen the phrase "solid wood" without the "and veneers" disclaimer where ply is used. 7. These features make it the perfect timber option for furniture that is used in living areas, playrooms, and bedrooms. Avoid standing water on your furniture at all times as this will destroy the finish applied to it. Placing an item next to a heat register, or even a space heater, is a recipe for disaster. Rubberwood is solid, used for veneer, and can be used for engineered products such as fiberboard or particleboard. 4. Christine McLachlan has been writing professionally since 2010. It provides a stable profile for all uses once the materials are seasoned correctly, allowing you to create chairs, tables, and other items that can one day become heirloom pieces. In addition, she holds a Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Florida. 5. As the material dries, it tends to twist and warp because of the high moisture content it contains. Most of the lumber receives a stain or finish to produce consistent results, making it an ideal source for various interior needs. are solid, everything else ply. It is a moderately hard, medium-textured, straight-grained wood that is approximately the same density as ash and maple hardwood. That means you’ll receive between 15 to 25 years of good wear with the furniture before you begin seeing usage issues with it. In many aspects, it is comparable to teak. There are irrigation, water use, and chemical introduction issues to consider with rubber plantation expansion too, which can sometimes increase problems with localized erosion. Which wood is best depends on your taste and whether you want ready-made furniture or wood for construction and cabinet-making. In addition, because of its low shrinkage rate, it is stable and easily manipulated into a large variety of applications. Rubberwood is derived from the rubber tree. Unproductive trees are felled and replaced with seedlings. ⚛ The information about Rubber Wood Vs Solid Wood Brief Overview is completely presented here. The wood from the rubber tree is naturally resistant to burning, even if marks are left on the surface if something hot touches it. Each plantation plants trees for rubber collection, then the timber harvest occurs once the tree reaches the end of its production cycle. Over the past few decades, the amount of rubberwood timber and finished product exports has skyrocketed. The wood itself is grown primarily in Malaysia, Thailand and other tropical Southeast Asian regions. Rubberwood is a light-colored medium-density tropical hardwood obtained from the Pará rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis), usually from trees grown in rubber plantations. Shop for timber that is grown sustainably for best results to limit the impact of your purchase on the environment. The wood from the rubber tree is extremely easy to work with when making furniture. ), and other small, specialty wood items. Rubberwood is a whitish lumber that gradually fades to a light brown over time. Although there can sometimes be issues with damage or aesthetic consistency when using rubberwood, the product is naturally stain-resistant. The wood is sometimes compared to teak, another close grained tropical wood, and some people prefer rubber to teak, since teak is not always a sustainable choice. You will find that most of your rubberwood furniture options involve smaller items. You may discover that some hardwoods are even cheaper in some geographic locations, including maple and walnut. Rubberwood is often used in gymnasiums and similar structures because it absorbs shocks better than other wood products. Since the 1980s, producers have marketed wood from rubber trees as an alternative to other, often more expensive, lumbers. 8. After latex production declines (about 30 years) the trees are harvested and the plantations are replanted. Solid Wood Flooring vs. Most rubberwood furniture comes from materials sourced from Brazil or Asia, as these are the primary centers of latex products. Rubberwood is very easy to work with when building furniture. Although this issue doesn’t impact everyone, reactions may appear on your skin after using the furniture. 2. Essentially, latex extraction continues until production of it stops – in most cases, this occurs approximately 30 years after tree planting. When rubberwood furniture becomes wet, it also gets slick. If you want solid wood furniture, then rubberwood does offer a cost-effective option to consider. Rubberwood is well-suited for a wide array of woodworking and timber projects. List of the Pros of Rubberwood Furniture. Direct sunlight will discolor the surface of the wood over time. Make sure that you test your finish before applying it. Although the wood isn’t resistant to disease or mold, it does still look a bit like oak. The wood is sometimes compared to teak, another close grained tropical wood, and some people prefer rubber to teak, since teak is not always a sustainable choice. The wood products taken from the harvested trees go through a chemical treatment process to kill off potential hazards before going through the kiln for seasoning.