Rubber wood comes from rubber trees that are harvested after their latex production declines. Because it is a plantation timber, it is often more affordable than forest hardwoods. It has a light, uniform colour and machines cleanly, which suits furniture work.
Why treatment matters
Untreated rubber wood is vulnerable to fungus and borers. Good furniture-grade rubber wood is seasoned or kiln-dried and treated against pests. Ask whether the stock you are quoted is treated and how, because that makes more difference to the life of the furniture than any other single factor.
Typical uses
- Dining tables and chairs
- Bed frames and kids' furniture
- Shelving and cabinet frames
- Painted or stained furniture, where the pale tone takes colour evenly
What to check
- Treatment and drying status
- Surface: no blue stain or insect holes
- Dimensions and straightness
- Finger-jointed or edge-glued panels versus single pieces, if you are comparing
For more, read rubber wood for furniture, and see other timbers we deal in.