Sion Goff
According to a BBC report, there are 60,000 species of trees in the world.
Each having a different texture, color, density, shrinkage, and shine.
But today we would be discussing Acacia wood.
And why you should consider this outstanding wood type for your needs.
So let’s roll!
What Is Acacia Wood
Acacia is a hardwood obtained from acacia trees and shrubs, which is native to Australia but also found in Asia, the Pacific Islands, Africa, and some other parts of America.
Acacia wood is found in hundreds of hardwood trees, and all varieties are used to manufacture furniture, homeware, kitchenware, flooring, and other wooden accessories.
Acacia Wood types include Babul, Hawaiian Koa, Acacia Mangium, and Acacia Melanoxylon.
Acacia Wood Properties
Acacia wood’s advantageous properties include its deep brown color that ranges from amber to wine shade with a natural fine grain structure that doesn’t get scratched easily. It is water-resistant, immune to fungus and have either straight or curvy patterns.
All these properties make it a top choice for home and homewares.
Appearance:
Acacia wood has a reddish-brown, deep hue, although there is a complete range of colors from light brown to dark red.
Grainy Texture:
There are golden grains as well as dull, brown ones. Two slabs of this wood would seldom be the same.
Acacia Wood Hardness:
According to Carpet Express (JANKA Hardness Number of Acacia is 2200), it is 70% harder than the Red Oak and 65% harder than the White Oak.
Acacia Wood Durability VS Oak:
Its density is measured to be 800 kg/m3 which is 14% higher than Red Oak and 4% higher than White Oak.
Acacia Wood Robustness:
It is a heavy wood, generally heavier than all other normal construction woods like Oak, Spruce, Pine.
Resistant:
Acacia wood is very resistant against cracks thanks to the flexibility it has got. It means acacia wood furniture will not break easily.
Highly prone to scratches:
Acacia wood surface is very shiny and slippery that makes it very strong against scratches. It doesn’t require painting more often because the natural surface of acacia is scratch-less.
Acacia Wood Durability:
It is one of the most durable woods in the world because of its hardness, weight, water-proofing, and scratch-resistance.
Historically, it was used to construct ships and boats and today, it’s widely used for furniture, flooring, cutting boards, and bowls.
Acacia Wood Sustainability:
It is a highly sustainable wood species. Firstly because it requires less time to grow. They have a short life span of 15-30 years while oak trees have an average life span of 80-200 years
Secondly, they are only consumed after their sap has been used which means it is no more beneficial for birds, animals, and insects.
When you are considering purchasing Acacia Wood items, you mustn’t go through the properties alone, but the advantages and disadvantages of Acacia wood as well.
Why?
So that you can configure if your sweet home and everyday routine are ready to accept this specific wood type.
Check this:
Acacia Wood Uses
You wouldn’t be searching for it had you not been interested in finding its top uses.
Right?
1. Acacia Wood Furniture
Sure every other wood is used for furniture but what makes this type so much superior.
Well:
It’s because of its qualities of durability, hardness, scratch resistance, sustainability and workability.
Care to go in a bit more depth:
First:
Babul and Australian Blackwood are the top Acacia wood types used for furniture with a Janka Hardness rating of 2300 and 1160 respectively which makes it have a life of about 40 years.
Acacia has proven its quality of being highly durable. Its hardness and density makes it one of the most popular choices for furniture in recent times.
Dining tables, chairs, beds are being constructed from it and they are standing the test of time.
Second:
Because of the interlocked grain structure, it is very prone to scratches. Insects and fungi cannot penetrate this wood.
So you can easily make dining tables, entertainment centers and working tables out of it.
Third:
Because Acacia trees are so abundant in the universe, their consumption for furniture is regarded as sustainable.
Many farmers cut the trees only after the sap has been used or if they are utterly useless (and can only be used for furniture effectively).
Fourth:
Although it is difficult to saw but it can comfortably be planed and varnished which enhances the ease with which it can be molded into furniture items like chairs, desks and drawers.
Babul, before drying, can easily be worked to create smooth and desirable live edge pieces.
The slabs are long which also makes the manufacture of long articles like dining tables and benches so much easier.
2. Acacia Wood Flooring
This dynamic wood option grants a vibrant and unique touch to the warmness inherent in hardwoods. The knots and grains are more visible than normal hardwoods used for flooring.
If you write “Acacia wood flooring” in the search bar of your browser, you will come across many selling platforms like Homedepot, Floor and Decor, and Lowes.
What does this suggest?
That it is now normally used for flooring.
But why?
First:
There is a pleasing variance in the color and pattern of each floor slab you put. From brown to red and gold, it will light up your room’s floor.
Second:
It is one of the best hardwood floorings, so it will be able to sustain the foot traffic (and won’t get damaged).
Third:
It offers natural resistance to water, so it won’t swell or anything. You can clean it with brooms and is a great wood flooring option for humid areas. Acacia can survive in such areas for years.
Fourth:
It is scratch-resistant so you can easily move your furniture over it. Some suppliers even offer 50-year guarantee for their acacia wood flooring.
You can get it in the form of Solid, Engineered or Laminate form. You need to care more for every hardwood floor, let alone Acacia. Use a high-quality mop to clean it. Mop slippers can be used as well.
It is also resistant to pests since it contains natural oils so that problem is also solved.
3. Outdoor and Patio Furniture
What do you look in a patio table set?
That it should be lightweight, weatherproof, strong and attractive.
It contains natural oils which makes it rot-resistant. Also, it is water-resistant as discussed above. Drink wine in glasses or have juices fearlessly.
It is durable and hard so can take the hit pretty easily, be it falling over the floor due to a strangled water hose or kids playing around it.
The wavy grain pattern and the mellow shine greatly complements the beauty of the patio or outdoor lawn.
Also, it is much cheaper than the teak which is another widely-used wood for outdoor furniture.
Acacia Wood Bowls
Do one thing.
Search the exact heading above on your browser and we bet you would be surprised at how popular and in-demand these bowls are.
Amazon, Etsy, Target; all the e-commerce giants have it.
People in Philippines and Hawaii use it abundantly.
Which means it is popular and here are three reasons why.
First:
It is resistant to water penetration and stains.
Second:
It doesn’t pick up odors so can be used for a long time without being disgusted by it.
Third:
It looks elegant and classical.
Fourth:
It is a food-safe option for hot and cold contents.
With other metallic, silicone and plastic kitchen utensils, acacia wood items can be a great contrast. Another great option for wooden kitchenware is olive wood.
Some of you might be thinking why we and the internet are raving about this wood type.
That’s because it is superior to many other woods we normally used or know.
Acacia Wood Vs Other Wood Types:
1. Acacia vs Teak
We won’t be going in the roots of origin and properties to bore you. Rather we would describe why this wood should be used instead of their competitor.
First of all, it has more variations (color and grain )than teak so your furniture will have more color options if you use Acacia instead of teak.
Secondly, it can be polished much easily than teak.
Thirdly, it costs less than teak while offering almost the same durability so no financial burden with this wood too :p
2. Acacia vs Oak
Oak is another commonly used wood for flooring, furniture and cabinets but Acacia can beat it as well.
How?
Acacia is harder than oak which renders more effectiveness in the case of flooring. According to Carpet Express (JANKA Hardness Number of Acacia is 2200), it is 70% harder than the Red Oak and 65% harder than the White Oak.
It is more sustainable than the oak tree because they have a short life span of 15-30 years thus can be grown quickly, while oak trees have an average life span of 80-200 years.
Also, the chances of warping is minimal in case of the “great” Acacia wood in contrast to the oak wood.
3. Acacia vs Walnut
Acacia offers a tough competition to walnut in flooring and cutting boards.
For cutting boards:
It is much cheaper than walnut, is sustainable and provides natural water resistance. Also, it is harder than walnut so there is less probability of knife and fork scratches.
For flooring:
Apart from better looks and durability, it costs less than walnut flooring and gives a better luster when polished.
Are There Any Disadvantages Of Acacia Wood?
Nothing comes without disadvantages.
Here we have given Acacia wood cons in detail:
1. Irregular Color And Grain Texture Knots
Acacia Wood can show different colors and patterns in your floors or cabinets, which might not be appreciated by some people.
While many may take the color and grain structure variations to be a plus point of this wood, those who need a consistent color in their flooring and furniture might be irritated by it.
2. Acacia Wood is Expensive
Acacia wood is expensive than normal hardwoods like Maple and Oak.
3. It Doesn’t Have a Lot of Natural Oils as Teak
We discussed earlier that Acacia is a great wood option for outdoor furniture but it needs to be oiled to be protected for a long time from weather and pests.
Teak, on the other hand, can be left untreated for decades.
4. Cross-grain Scratches Are Nearly Impossible to Remove
You can fill in normal scatches with a filler marker or paint but cross-grain scratches are very difficult to deal with.
Why?
Because of the variations in color and grain pattern: there are always added daunting tasks to match the marks even if you get the right color.
5. Outdoor Acacia Furniture May Need More Maintenance Than Indoor:
Acacia wood is considered temperature-sensitive lumber and high-maintenance when used outdoor for furniture, pavilions, and Cabanas.
The main reason behind this can be the lacking of natural oils, but if you are ready to give proper upkeep to the acacia wood furniture, there will be no problem.
6. Furniture May Darken With Time:
With time, acacia wood furniture may get dark; however, it can sustain for years after years if well-maintained and polished.
Where & How To Buy it – Acacia Wood for Sale
Although there are many reliable e-commerce platforms that sell Acacia wood planks and products we would recommend local hardwood stores to you.
It is because
A: there is a difference in the color and shape shown in the product description and reality
B: you cannot bargain with an online store
If we talk about flooring, depending on the general trend:
Engineered Acacia would cost about $2.6-8/sq feet, Solid Hardwood would cost you around $2.6-8/sq feet and the Laminated one will be available at about $0.8-3.5/sq feet.
Acacia wood slabs are normally in the range of $2 to $5 even if you want colors of grey. The prices of its furniture depend on the brand and the finishing.
The prices of bowls and cutting boards made of Acacia depend on the brand and the finishing and the same is with the furniture.
It would be best to have a woodmaster or a carpenter with you while purchasing Acacia wood planks and slabs because he/she can better understand its reliability.
How To Extend Its Life – Acacia Wood Care
No doubt it is a durable wood type. But proper maintenance can extend its life for decades.
1. Furniture Care:
- To clean spills, use a cloth soaked with warm soapy water rather than using cleaning liquids containing silicone or ammonia. It dries the wood.
- It is always recommended to use coasters when placing glasses or cups on the wood.
Use Beeswax furniture wax when you feel that the item is losing its shine. It’s a necessary furniture care hack. Apply the wax as per the labeled instructions.
2. Floor Care:
- For floor care; do not let any spills on the floors get air-dried. Clean it quickly.
- If you observe any gaps in between the flooring slabs, call an expert and get the necessary mends instead of testing it yourself. Each Acacia plank is different.
3. Outdoor Furniture Care:
- If outdoor furniture is placed near a swimming pool, don’t forget to spray it thoroughly with a power washer hose. Chlorine from the pool water consumes the weatherproofing coat of the Acacia wood furniture.
- Don’t place it in direct sunlight because it could either cause cracking or discoloring. Regular movement of patio furniture is thus advised. Place it under a canopy or a tree.
Concluding Words
Acacia wood is gaining popularity across the globe due to the reasons mentioned in the blog.
Before leaving, let us know of your experiences with the Acacia wood in the comment section.