Contrary to popular belief, rubberwood is not exactly a hybrid of elastic wood. By cutting down the Pará rubber tree, a medium-density hardwood known as rubberwood is created (Hevea brasiliensis). The majority of these trees are found in South America, Asia, and Africa. Pará rubber trees are grown for their latex and harvested to make rubberwood lumber at the end of their productive lives. Rubberwood is regarded as a “environmentally friendly” wood as a result.
You have a variety of options for the actual wood material while looking for solid wood furniture. In the world of inexpensive wood furniture, rubberwood is becoming a more popular option. You may determine if the type of furniture is appropriate for your needs by looking at the wood’s properties.
In order to determine whether rubberwood is suitable for furniture, we will examine its benefits and drawbacks as well as furnishing examples, care instructions, and other information.
DESCRIBE RUBBER WOOD FURNITURE
The tree that makes latex is also the source of the rubberwood used in furniture. They may also be referred to as rubber trees, Hevea brasiliensis, Asian hardwood, parawood, or parawood. These trees, which are native to Brazil, are frequently seen in Asia on extensive production plantations. After nine years, the trees reach their maturity. Beginning at that time, latex is extracted continuously until latex production slows down, which typically occurs when the tree is 25 to 30 years old.
The tree is harvested for other uses, like as furniture, since it is no longer useful for making latex. Instead of exporting the raw wood, the nations that harvest the wood often construct the furniture before selling it abroad. In addition to being utilized as medium-density fiberboard, veneer, and particleboard, rubberwood is also used as a solid wood.
APPEARANCE OF RUBBER WOOD FURNITURE
The name can be a little unclear. The wood of the rubber tree, however used to produce rubber, is not actually rubbery. It’s a durable solid wood item that works well for furniture. Rubberwood is a common material for construction because of its light color, which is sometimes described as light blonde to medium brown. Given that it resembles poplar or pine, in terms of color, it is light enough to accept a variety of stains and finishes. Rubberwood has a straight grain, an open texture, and is a tad on the coarse side. In terms of features, it is comparable to maple, but has a more porous structure.
AVAILABILITY OF RUBBERWOOD FURNITURE
When the tree achieves full age, we need to cut it down to ensure that there is a plentiful supply of this wood. Rubber is everywhere. Like any other commodity, price is always directly influenced by supply. In addition to this, it has the following benefits that make it a popular option for woodworks:
It Is Hard to Scratch
A hardwood in the family of maples is rubberwood. It has a moderately strong Janka hardness grade of 995, making it resistant to scratching. It is one of the least expensive and most scratch-resistant woods that we frequently use for furniture because of its hardness, which is comparable to that of ash, maple, teak, and walnut.
It Is Relatively Durable
Contrary to popular belief, rubberwood is not elastic. This misunderstanding is due to the properties of the latex it creates. In actuality, it’s a tough wood that works for any type of furniture. A dense grain is what gives it its high degree of stability as a building material.
Its toughness is equivalent to walnut and teak, as was already mentioned. However, the habitat in which it grows is another element that makes it more resilient. Rubber plants naturally resist fungus and bacteria since they thrive in humid tropical climates. Rubberwood does not require special maintenance, unlike other woods that do.
It is less expensive
Rubberwood is one of the least expensive woods that you may use for furniture, as you may have already surmised. In practically everything we use, rubber is a common component that can only be obtained from trees. Growers remove it to make room for new trees every 30 years. Rubberwood is therefore widely available, making it one of the greatest sources for affordable furniture.
You would have to spend at least three times more if you were to compare the cost of identical pieces made from rubberwood and another wood with a similar density.
Unfortunately, this low price also carries a low quality stigma. Rubberwood is only less expensive because it is made from recycled materials that we would otherwise throw away. You can utilize it as a furniture alternative that is both economical and environmentally friendly.
It Doesn’t Need a Lot of Care
Rubberwood is highly robust and less costly than other types of wood that we use for woodworking. Another reason why many people like to use it is that it doesn’t require special upkeep. Rubberwood does not require the continual washing and cleaning like some of the wood we use for furniture does to remain fresh and presentable.
Rubberwood only requires a straightforward soap and water solution once a year for maintenance. After giving it a good wash, dry it with a clean cloth. If you use wax to keep your furniture shining, be careful to wipe it off every so often because it might accumulate dust and other household debris.
CONS OF RUBBER WOOD FURNITURE
Before using rubberwood for your upcoming endeavor to make furniture, be aware of the following major drawbacks.
Warping and twiddling
The ease with which rubberwood twists and warps is one of its main drawbacks. The high moisture content of rubber wood is the main culprit.
A high moisture level increases the likelihood that the wood may twist and warp as it dries. To reduce twisting and warping, you can, however, season your rubberwood lumber.
It is not watertight
Not the most water-absorbing wood is rubberwood. It’s also not the best kind of waterproof wood, though. Pine is much more waterproof than rubberwood, thus you can’t compare their levels of waterproofing.
In addition, seepage issues with rubberwood are common, particularly when the adhesive deteriorates. Therefore, you should normally keep the furniture away from areas with a lot of moisture. How to waterproof rubberwood is shown here.
It expires quickly
Rubberwood unfortunately degrades quickly. It is particularly prone to fungus-caused white rot. Brown rot advances more quickly than white rot. However, the harm is greater.
Rubberwood is prone to fungus and insect stains in addition to decaying. Both can reduce the quality of rubberwood furniture.
Outdoor furniture made of rubberwood is not good
Rubberwood is not a good material for outdoor furniture because of its propensity to absorb moisture. Otherwise, there is a double chance of decaying.
This means that rubberwood can only be used to make indoor permanent furniture. As an alternative, you must bring the furniture inside for the duration of the night and the winter.
Rashes, hives, skin irritation, a runny nose, and breathing problems are frequent symptoms.
Unattractive grain and texture
One of the least pleasing grain patterns and textures may be found in rubberwood. The gritty open texture and loose grain pattern of rubberwood furniture, despite the not too drab brown color, make it rather uninteresting.
The problems, though, continue. Rubberwood is difficult to stain and takes a very long time to dry because the grain pattern is not easily identifiable.
Stains left over after seasoning
As was previously noted, most woodworkers season rubberwood to make it more durable. In order to maintain the integrity of rubberwood furniture, you must clean/wipe it with specific chemicals.
Unfortunately, rubberwood furniture can become stained by the seasoning and cleaning agents. Therefore, some professionals advise using warm water to clean the furniture instead. However, warm water doesn’t work as well as the chemicals do.
Insect attacks prone
Numerous insect species that can potentially harm your furniture are drawn to rubberwood. Termites, beetle borers, and other Coleopteran species including longicorns and snout beetles are among the insects.
More than 100 different insect species have the potential to damage rubberwood furniture, chewing away at the wood’s surface and digging holes into the exposed parts of your furniture.
Before the kiln drying process, specific chemical treatment is necessary
The extended chemical treatment process that rubberwood lumber must undergo before kiln drying should also make you rethink purchasing rubberwood furniture.
Before kiln drying, the wood is often submerged in boron preservatives to diffuse the organic compounds and regulate the moisture content. This means that if you don’t buy rubberwood that has been chemically treated, you’ll pay the price.
TIPS FOR FINISHING RUBBER WOOD
Finishing rubber wood is simple. But since stains don’t work well with the lack of grain pattern, it’s recommended to use paint and oils instead of stains.
1. Start by using 120 or 150 grit sandpaper to smooth up the rubberwood furniture.
2. To prepare the surface for oiling or painting, use an acrylic wood primer.
3. Give the surface at least one application of eggshell or boiled linseed oil.
CARE AND MAINTENANCE OF RUBBER WOOD FURNITURE
Rubber wood furniture requires regular upkeep and careful care because it is vulnerable to insect assaults, quickly absorbs moisture, and rots wood.
You must maintain your attention on your rubber wood furniture to extend their lives if you want to avoid that happening.
Here are some precautions you should take to protect rubberwood from the elements:
1. Use the right sealant Periodically
Rubber wood readily accepts stain, however it takes a long time to dry after staining. Rubber wood furniture can be used both indoors and outdoors with the right sealing and staining.
Rubber wood needs to be sealed off from the outside environment in order to be protected from moisture, insect attacks, UV rays, and other elements.
To keep the wood safe, be sure to frequently apply a wood sealant or stain.
Since the wood will immediately interact with the environment once the seal or stain fades away and absorb moisture, which causes the wood to rot.
There is no advantage to sealing the wood once the moisture has been removed from it. because the inside of the wood will begin to deteriorate.
Therefore, proper sealing must be done regularly—at least once a year—for better care of rubberwood furniture.
In addition to being protected, rubberwood is given a gorgeous shade makeover by staining and painting.
To ensure the process is successful, use high-quality sealing or staining products.
The procedures you must take to seal rubberwood for a superior finish are as follows:
Clean the surface after removing any previous coatings.
Remove any sawdust by sanding the rubberwood surface with 150 grit paper.
After applying pre-stain wood conditioner, let it to cure and dry.
Put wood stain or sealant on
Allowing the wood to thoroughly dry and cure
To achieve the best finish, use 2–3 coats of stain or sealant.
Rubberwood takes stains so beautifully, yet it takes a while for it to dry.
Therefore, you should wait until after the first coat of stain has been absorbed and the surface has completely dried before adding a second coat.
Because applying stain to a sticky surface may generate blotches and streaks as well as other wood stain problems.
2. Regularly Clean the Wood
Regularly cleaning the rubber wood surface will extend its lifetime by removing dust and debris.
Only use soapy water to wash the rubber wood surface once a year, and then use a clean, dry towel to clean the entire surface.
Since rubber wood is so delicate to chemicals, you should never use any other chemical cleansers to clean rubber wood furniture since the wood will deteriorate quickly.
I therefore urge you to clean rubber wood furniture with little more than soap and water.
3. Apply furniture oil to rubberwood Periodically
Apply tung oil or Danish oil on rubber wood furniture to improve the gloss and prevent cracks and scratches.
the oil coating prevents water and moisture from penetrating, protecting the wood.
4. Avoid exposure to extreme cold or heat
Rubberwood twists and warps in extreme cold and heat. Rubbe rwood is incredibly difficult to keep from warping.
In order to keep rubber wood furniture from the elements, cover it or store it in a secure location.
The dimensional stability of rubber wood furniture might be harmed by constant temperature variations, which will also shorten its lifespan.
Keep rubber wood furniture out of direct sunlight to avoid that.
Direct sunlight ruins the wood’s aesthetic appeal as well as its mechanical properties, darkening it.
Above are the advantages and disadvantages as well as an overview of rubber wood furniture. I’m sure you’ve got another look at rubber wood furniture. I believe you can make a decision whether to choose rubber wood furniture for your home or not. Good luck with that!
Khoa Pham