# Rubber Wood?



## AndyDuframe

I was looking at some imported furniture the other day at a store called "World Market" -and an employee there (who was assembling the furniture) told me it was all made from rubber wood. I don't know much about the species, other than it's supposed to be a more eco-friendly lumber that grows fast.

Anyone ever use it?


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## tenontim

I've never used it, but I believe that I read somewhere that it's cut from the rubber trees that are no longer producing the sap, that is used to make rubber.


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## BillWhite

The good thing is that the furniture will bounce…................
Sorry. Just had to post that.
Yet. Made from rubber trees. Seems to be ok wood to work.
Bill


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## jerkylips

I bought a coffee table & a couple end tables online years ago that were made of rubber wood. It was one of these places that sold unfinished, assemble yourself stuff, but all solid wood, no particle board, etc. It held up really well & still looks good, but it took stain kind of weird. It was quite a while ago, but I remember it being really blotchy the first coat, & that I had to let it sit a LONG time to soak in - the first attempts barely changed the color from raw wood..


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## AndyDuframe

but it took stain kind of weird

The rubber wood furniture I saw in the store actually looked really nice. I'm not sure what kind stain or finish was used, but the grain looked super-dense, almost like bamboo. As far as blotching goes, I wonder if just a pre-stain conditioner would do the trick, same way it works with staining pine.


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## dkirtley

Just what I have seen and read about it. Apparently, they harvest it from the trees that are no longer producing latex. It gets really nasty sticky and weird black splotches and such from the sap.

For the most part it was just burnt before. A few years ago, someone came up with a process to cook the lumber in steam and remove the excess latex to make usable lumber. I have never seen it on sale anywhere but I believe it is all sold to big production facilities. By itself it is kind of blah looking light colored hardwood. It can be colored and it is a lot the wood that comes as furniture from Pier One and the like.

Other than it not being particularly attractive on its own, it seems to be well thought of a a secondary wood and for less expensive furniture and the like. I think I remember it as being heavier than poplar and cuts and machines well.


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## AndyDuframe

I have never seen it on sale anywhere but I believe it is all sold to big production facilities

Yeah, that was my impression, too. Which immediately made me think, oh great-another rain forest gone. However, the guy at World Market insisted this is not the case, and that rubber trees are grown and harvested elsewhere.

@David Kirtley-I think "lowbudgetmetalworker.blogspot.com" is available


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## dkirtley

Andy, yeah, as I have been doing 99.5% metalworking for the last few months I ought to think about it.

Of course I wouldn't keep it up either, so it would be a waste of time. Blogging takes a lot more commitment than I seem to be able to muster for it.


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## NiteWalker

It's a decent wood; similar to maple.


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## timbit2006

My mother's Malaysian kitchen table is made out of Rubber Wood.
I'm not too much a fan of it, perhaps the table quality makes me think less of it. It has a very dark stain on it and on all the chairs, you can see the finish worn off and a nice bright patch of wood.


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## toolchap

If it can stretch to the length I never have at hand, I am all for it.


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## longgone

It also is called condom wood. Actually this is the first time i have ever heard of it. Apparently there are so many different wood types that go by so many different names for the same species that is hard to keep track.
I have always found it interesting that some woods are so outrageously beautiful while others are so bland and ugly.


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## pmayer

I bought a set of chairs made of rubberwood about 10 years ago, and stained it to match a natural cherry dining table using a custom tinted stain. It took stain beautifully and has held up great. I don't know much about the wood itself other than it is quite solid and the chairs have served us quite well. I wouldn't hesitate to buy them again.


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## Scottlj

This is an old thread. But I was seeking info on rubber wood myself and came across it so just in case any one else does the same, I felt compelled to add some updated info.

In my searching, I found this article:
WHY RUBBERWOOD IS NOT SUSTAINABLE

There seems to be some verification for this. I'm not sure if that makes it all evil, or if it's mostly ok, or whatever. But it does seem that you can't just buy this at your local supplier anyway. In short, I personally wouldn't want to build with this and I don't think I even want it in my house. My wife and I are shopping for dining room chairs for the table I built and this is what lead us to ask, "What is this Parawood / Rubberwood even these high end places are all selling?" I don't have the time or skill to build the chairs, but when we buy them, I think I want them out of North American oak or maple or alder, not this garbage.


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## Fresch

We have some, stained ok and is holding up about 8-10 yrs. now; inexpensive.


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