Acacia wood furniture lasts for many years and did not quickly succumb to outdoor elements, attesting to Acacia’s durability and resilience. Acacia, of course, is considered the hardest of hardwoods with its remarkable resilience to weather and high density.
Acacia is a tree genus of around 160 species; it originated in Australia, but it is now present in America, Africa, Pacific Coast, and Asia. It is robust. Moreover, it is easy to work with. Besides, its excellent characteristics make it a favorite of furniture manufacturers and woodworkers.
Characteristics, Properties & Colors of of Acacia Wood
Acacia is a hardwood, and one of its species, Babul Acacia, has a Janka Hardness rating of 2,300 Newtons. It is harder than hickory, European White Oak, and even carbonized bamboo. It is so dense at 62lbs per cubic foot.
Acacia wood sports a wide array of hues and tones ranging from dark red to light brown heartwood colors. Its sapwood, however, has a yellowish-white color. It features a naturally smooth surface and warm tones, making it attractive and pleasant to look at. However, exposure to UV light causes its heartwood to transition to a darker color.
Acacia is genuinely an elegant wood and is perfect for country-style furniture decorations. It showcases an excellent look even if it is not yet polished or finished. Moreover, it features a distinct grain style, making it one of the most visually attractive woods in the world.
Advantages of Acacia Wood
Acacia wood gets often used throughout the world. Its elegance and other sterling characteristics make it a favorite in woodworking. Hence, if you are considering the use of Acacia, it will be best to know the following advantages of its use:
Durable
Regarding its durability, Acacia is undoubtedly very durable. In fact, it is considered the hardest wood. It exhibits a high-level resistance to the harsh elements of nature, which makes it last for decades even if used outdoors. It can withstand daily usage and wear and tear. Besides, the vicissitudes of weather will never be an issue in the maintenance and longevity of Acacia.
Its high density and toughness make it a go-to wood for making ships. Hence, if you want excellent wood for outdoor furniture, don’t hesitate to use Acacia wood.
Ideal for a Wide Range of Wood Projects
Acacia wood is perfect for a wide range of woodworking projects, whether you got small or large-scale projects. You can cut an Acacia tree according to the size required by your projects. You can use it for ship construction, beams and board manufacturing, furniture, floors, and cutting boards. Hence, it is a perfect choice for whatever project size you engage in.
Easy to Work with and Offers a Smooth Finish
One remarkable characteristic of Acacia is its easy workability. Its excellent wood grain allows you to save time and energy in finishing it. So, if you’re using this wood for your project, you will feel confident that the results will be excellent.
Sustainable
Since Acacia has many species and gets farmed in many parts of the world, its use is sustainable. It also regenerates fast. Besides, it easily grows and can survive for as little as one-tenth inch of water daily. Thus, using Acacia for furniture and other applications will not adversely impact the balance of nature as long as new Acacia trees get planted.
Scratch-resistant
Another sterling characteristic of Acacia is its being scratch-resistant. Although it can get scratched, it doesn’t get scratched with ease. Thus, if you got expensive Acacia furniture, you don’t need to worry about it getting damaged or scratched. Besides, you can remedy any damage to it with a simple touch-up.
Allows for a Smooth Finish
Another remarkable feature of Acacia wood is its excellent capacity to receive stain and finish. Since it shows a smooth texture, it is easy to stain. Besides, it doesn’t need elaborate sanding and polishing because its surface is naturally smooth and beautiful.
Low Maintenance
Furniture made of Acacia wood will not require much maintenance. It doesn’t require extensive protection and treatment to keep its sterling qualities. Besides, it can last for several decades without any protection or treatment.
Disadvantages of Acacia Wood
Knowing the advantages of using Acacia will help you understand why Acacia is a prized wood by woodworkers and furniture manufacturers. Nevertheless, it will also help to familiarize yourself with the following disadvantages of the use of Acacia:
Tends to Darken When Exposed to UV Light and Air
Acacia tends to darken when exposed to light UV light and air. So, this might be a problem, but you can avoid this by rotating your furniture regularly to ensure the light and air reaches all parts of the furniture equally.
Besides, it will be best to avoid placing any hot dish or object on your furniture surface to prevent any alteration in the color of your Acacia furniture.
Sensitivity to Temperature
Another downside of the use of Acacia is its temperature sensitivity. It might get damaged if you position it near a heat-emitting source like a heater or fireplace. The surface of the wood will crack if you expose it to direct heat. Additionally, it may bow. Acacia is durable, but if you expose it to extreme heat, it might become brittle.
Irregularity of Grain Structure
You would surely love the knots and twists of Acacia wood, but its grain structure might not be highly patented and doesn’t have a universal appeal. It exhibits irregularities that make the design unpredictable.
This unpredictability might be a welcome thing for some, but it would be problematic for many woodworkers and designers.
Variations and Defects
As you peruse Acacia wood, you will find many deficiencies and variations. For example, you will find knots that are not common among other hardwoods.
Besides, you will also find twists in the wood because Acacia tends to grow very tall. These many deficiencies might make it challenging to achieve your desired finish.
Buckle and Crumble
You might need to subject Acacia wood to specific drying conditions to prevent it from buckling and breaking. These tendencies happen if you don’t dry it correctly.
Hence, if your place is characterized by low humidity, you must ensure that you subject the Acacia wood to the proper drying conditions to prevent it from becoming brittle.
Difficult to Remove Scratches Against the Wood Grain
As mentioned above, Acacia wood exhibits high resistance to scratches. But if the scratch goes against its grain, removing it becomes more challenging even if you touch it up extensively. It will be best to redraw the marks on the grain to do away with this type of scratch mark.
Greying
Acacia wood will not require elaborate care. But you will notice that its color will turn greyish over time which might be problematic if your reason for using Acacia wood is to maintain its natural beauty.
Frequently Asked Questions on Acacia Wood
After knowing the pros and cons of using Acacia wood, you can now decide whether it is the wood appropriate for your needs. However, it will also help if you are familiar with the following FAQs about Acacia wood to understand it further:
Will It be good to use Acacia wood for furniture?
Acacia is undoubtedly a good wood for furniture making. You can produce high-end furniture using it. It doesn’t warp or shrink much because it has low moisture content. Thus, Acacia furniture will certainly last for a long time.
The Acacia wood used for furniture making often comes from its heartwood. This wood sports a dark tone with a brownish-yellow hue. It is often taken from the Asian and Australian Acacia Mangium.
Because of its remarkable durability, various shades, and glossy finish, Acacia wood gets often used for decorating homes.
You can use Acacia wood for many applications, like building furniture for the dining room, living room, and bedroom. You can also use it for flooring and many other applications.
Is Acacia Wood Water-resistant
Acacia wood is not entirely waterproof but moderately resistant to water. It features close grains that do not allow water absorption. But you will need to treat it to make it completely waterproof. This way, you can further extend its lifespan.
Outdoor Acacia furniture can survive the vicissitudes of weather and outdoor elements even for decades. Besides, it necessitates little maintenance. But always remember that no wood is utterly impervious to moisture. So, you need to provide additional treatment to ensure it will last for centuries.
Is Acacia Wood Suitable for Outdoor Use?
Yes, you can use Acacia wood outdoor. However, it will be best to dry it thoroughly before using it. Otherwise, it might bend or warp. Remember that UV light and dust might affect it over time.
Hence, it will be best to treat it when used outdoors. You can also polish or paint it to improve its durability and protect its grains.
Is Acacia wood Durable?
Acacia wood is undoubtedly durable. Its Janka hardness rating is 2,300 lbf which means it is pretty hard. Besides, it is highly resistant to insect and fungal attacks. If you don’t treat it, it can last for several decades. It exhibits extreme hardness and is remarkable for its longevity.
Acacia is heavy and stable, and experts consider Acacia extraordinarily durable. However, if you expose it to too much heat, it might become brittle and break down. Acacia furniture, if well maintained, can last for decades.
Is Acacia Expensive?
Despite its durability and other sterling qualities, Acacia doesn’t belong to the most expensive wood you can ever buy. It is not inexpensive either. Nevertheless, its price usually hinges on its age, species, quality, and grain.
The price range of Acacia wood is from $3 to $8 per square foot. Moreover, a dining set made of Acacia may cost anywhere between $300 and $800.
Does Acacia Wood Receive Stain Well?
Yes, Acacia wood receives stain well and produces an excellent finish. Stain can protect it while providing a dramatic natural look for its grain.
Acacia wood is naturally beautiful, without staining, and stain doesn’t alter its natural color. However, it can preserve its grain and enhance its appeal.
Is the Use of Acacia Sustainable?
Yes, Acacia wood is sustainable because it grows fast. It even exceeds the growth rate of pine trees, which grow at a feverish pace of 7% per year. Acacia trees get replenished with ease. Moreover, there are plantations of Acacia trees. Hence, using Acacia wood will not tip off the ecological balance.
Acacia is a nitrogen-fixing plant. As such, it is vital to ecology. It also helps in soil nitrification, which is critical to soil fertility.
Acacia is also resistant to drought because of its edaphic plasticity. Thus, it does help in cooling down the atmosphere. It also helps in fixing soil because of its lateral root system. Nevertheless, you don’t need to worry about the sustainability of Acacia because it is sustainable.
Conclusion
Acacia wood has been in use since ancient times. In fact, The Aborigines of Australia have been using it for centuries. Acacia wood has many applications, and if you’ve seen Acacia furniture, you will know that it is an excellent wood for furniture making.
If you intend to use Acacia for your home furniture but are still thinking twice about it, don’t think twice because this wood carries sterling characteristics. Hence, if you use it, you can further enhance your home’s design and aura.