Acacia wood for outdoor furniture: Maintenance, Pros, and cons
Why do many people choose Acacia wood for outdoor furniture? Acacia is an exceptionally durable type of wood.
Acacia wood is good for outdoor because it has a fine grain, a flame pattern, and the changing color shades give the furniture a unique and warm appearance.
The acacia tree is native to Australia and the Americas. In addition, however, this tree is also grown on plantations in Europe. Since acacia trees do not grow very large, boards are often glued together to make a larger garden table.
How good is acacia wood for outdoor furniture?
Acacia wood is very suitable for outdoor use because of the high oil content in acacia wood, and the wood is water and moisture repellent. This type of wood has a robust appearance, making it a lovely addition to your garden.
Wooden garden furniture does require maintenance. If you want to keep your furniture look beautiful and you want it to last longer, maintenance is a must. It is a natural process in which cracks and cracks appear in the planks. also, read other uses of acacia wood
Acacia wood is a sustainable type of wood
This means that it lasts for a long time and therefore you do not regularly need new furniture. Acacia wood is a strong but heavy type of wood. Acacia wood is classified in durability class 1, which means that the wood will last up to 25 years.
Acacia wood is also widely used and is ideal for playgrounds because it is a hard type of wood. If you use this type of wood for playgrounds or perhaps in your case for climbing equipment in the garden, it requires little maintenance and is also vandal-resistant.
Acacia wood for outdoor furniture as an alternative for tropical hardwoods
When people think of hardwoods, people often think of the tropics as the place of origin.
Certain species such as teak are indeed native to the tropical rainforests.
One of the most commonly used an alternative to teak in outdoor furniture is acacia wood
However, hardwoods can also be found within Europe, such as oak, beech, and cherry.
The hardest species is the Robinia, which approaches tropical hardwood and is therefore almost as durable.
The Robinia is also called pseudo-acacia, although it is actually not a real acacia.
The wood of the Robinia is harder than some tropical hardwoods and therefore does not have to be sourced all the way from tropical parts of the world, making it a lot more durable.
This makes acacia wood a good alternative for outdoor furniture to tropical hardwood.
The ‘true’ acacia tree is a very whimsical tree, which means that planks or posts often do not have a straight shape. There are many varieties of acacias, most of which grow in Australia.
Due to the erratic nature of the tree, acacia wood is usually sawn into planks of up to 1 meter, which can be combined into larger panels utilizing a so-called finger joint connection (gluing of finger-shaped ends).
The discoloration of acacia wood for outdoor furniture
Acacia naturally has a high oil content, making the wood virtually insensitive to water and moisture penetration. Only the wood placed outdoors will gray over time (just like any other type of wood if it is not treated).
Furthermore, no part of the acacia wood is the same in shape, structure, or color, which means that color shades are unavoidable even within a piece of furniture.
Wind bursts, hairline cracks, unevenness, and the presence of large and small knots testify to years of growth and originality.
Due to use and the influence of light, new furniture will become lighter over time. Therefore, the color differences between themselves and the model you take out of the box are noticeable.
Treatment of acacia wood for outdoor furniture
Treating garden furniture wood that has been appropriately treated and used with care may be exposed to rain, snow, sunlight, etc.
Some types of wood require more maintenance than others. Cedar, Chinese hemlock, oak, acacia, bankirai, and teak garden furniture are often chosen for their durability and ease of maintenance.
Teak has a natural resistance that makes it resistant to decay and insects. Oak, Chinese hemlock, bankirai, acacia, and cedar also contain chemicals that make them tough and therefore last a long time.
The best time to treat wooden garden furniture is in a warm and dry period.
How to treat outdoor furniture from acacia wood:
- Clean the outdoor furniture with warm soapy water and a clean cloth. Then rinse thoroughly and allow to dry sufficiently in the open air. Let it for 24 hours to dry before applying any products.
- Stubborn dirt can be scrubbed with a mixture of trisodium phosphate and warm water, after which the furniture is rinsed well again.
- Then check the acacia wood furniture for cracks or chips. If necessary, these can be smoothed with light sandpaper.
- Oiling of acacia wood is allowed 1 to 2 times a year. You can apply the oil with a clean brush and wipe off the excess with a soft cloth.
- Already treated acacia wood can be treated with a fungus inhibitor to slow down the aging process.
- Screws and hinges that rust also give color to the furniture. Replace it in good time., it is best not to use oil to lubricate the hinges, but a silicone-based lubricant. This does not give off-color, so there are no dark spots around the hinges.
- It is best to cover the outdoor furniture with a plastic film or protective cover during the night and winter. If possible, the furniture should hibernate indoors.
Outdoor furniture stain or oil?
When treating your outdoor acacia wood furniture, you can choose a stain or oil.
Let’s not consider lacquer; in our opinion, this is the least suitable for your outdoor furniture.
This is because you then seal the furniture with a layer of lacquer, which puts you at risk of rotting or peeling.
Stain acacia wood for outdoor furniture
A stain partly penetrates the wood and protects and provides your wood with a silky-gloss layer. A stain is the most moisture-regulating option and provides the longest protection.
Oiling acacia wood for outdoor furniture
The oil penetrates deep into the wood, nourishes and brings out the natural color of the wood. With oil, you create a matte appearance.
By using oil, the natural character of your wood comes into its own. The teak oil is also highly water-repellent and moisture- and weather-resistant.
If your wooden garden table has already been oiled, you can never paint it over with a stain. Then always choose an oil.
also read our related article:
How to Maintain Your Outdoor Wooden Furniture to Stay Durable for Years to Come
The most common methods of treating wood
How to properly maintain wooden furniture
How to Choose Acacia Wood Outdoor Furniture
Outdoor furniture can have an important function of chatting with friends, neighbors, or even family.
If you want to choose acacia wood for outdoor furniture, you need first to ensure the need.
Make sure whether you need a small or big set. After that, you can choose the design that you like.
Acacia wood can be combined with metal, steel, or resin. For a strong look, you can use steel and acacia wood combinations for your outdoor furniture.
Choices of Designs for Acacia Wood Outdoor Furniture with Steel Combination
1. Simple Acacia Wood Outdoor Furniture with 1 Table and 2 Benches
Having two simple benches to complete the table can be a perfect choice for your small outdoor furniture set.
Even though it is simple, you can still use it as a place to eat together with your family when you want to have dinner outdoor.
Also, for your creation, you can be creative with the choice of color for the table or the steel.
2. Modern Acacia Wood Outdoor Furniture
Creating a modern look can be achieved by the use of more steel.
You can also make the set bigger by putting in many chairs for 1 table. Also, the table should not be simple.
Make sure you put steel at the border of the table to make it look more modern.
3. Villa Seats for the Acacia Wood Outdoor Furniture
Bend the seats at the back as a place to relax your back. It will create a relaxed and chill look for the villa seats.
This kind of design is perfect for the acacia wood outdoor furniture near the pool.
Make sure that the design of the acacia wood outdoor furniture match the need that you want.
It would be best if you also remembered that steel could make the design more beautiful.
Thus, explore your creativity and choose the best design for your outdoor furniture.
Maintenance of acacia wood garden table
In principle, you can maintain outdoor furniture made of acacia wood by wiping it occasionally with a damp cloth and then drying it.
To keep the wood in good condition, it is recommended to treat it at least once every six months with a special furniture oil suitable for acacia wood.
This ensures that your acacia wood garden table retains its beautiful natural color and does not discolor under the influence of weather conditions and wear.
Avoid placing hot pans or pots on an acacia wood tabletop; discolor and deteriorate the material. Therefore, always use coasters to keep your acacia wood garden table as beautiful as possible.
Advantages of acacia wood
- Easy to maintain
- Available in multiple colors
- Acacia wood is very durable
- It is hardwood and hardly works
- It is timeless, so you always have a beautiful and hip interior
Disadvantages of acacia wood
- Long planks are not available as the tree does not grow very high so that planks may be glued together in a piece of furniture
- Discolours relatively quickly if you do not treat the wood (or treated in time)
- It is relatively expensive compared to other types of wood
- You cannot place hot or wet objects, and this can cause light stains that you can hardly remove
- You must remove moisture quickly if the wood has not been treated with oil or wax; otherwise, the wood will absorb the moisture quickly, causing discolorations that cannot be removed.
- Acacia wood is less durable than teak wood
