Rubberwood was once a waste wood but has surged as a viable option for furniture pieces. Some people refer to this material as white teak, or malaysian oak. It has dense, straight grain with a coarse texture similar to that of oak. The advantage of rubber wood is that it s a dense grain that is easily controlled in the kiln drying process. This is a type of tree that has seeds that are enclosed, be it in pods, a shell, a covering or in fruit. Rubberwood is much less expensive. It is now synonymous with high-end outdoor furniture, decks and outdoor structures like pergolas. However, rubberwood is not suitable for outdoor usage. The most common applications of the rubberwood include furniture, toys, and kitchen accessories. This is also the reason why hardwood trees are not often bunched together but are spaced apart and often have other trees in-between them. As a hardwood, teak is sourced from slow growing trees. The resin is also responsible for teak's consistent sheen. Rubberwood is derived from the rubber tree. However, due to the high demand for teak wood, the Tectona grandis is also grown on plantations in Africa and the Caribbean. In fact, teak is famous for its high oil content, high tensile strength, and tight grain. He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Arkansas. It also has a low shrinkage ratio, which means that the wood can be used in areas with high or fluctuating moisture content. Teak wood and rubber wood are both types of hardwoods. Since rubber trees only produce latex for around 30 years, people would cut them down at the end of their useful lives and burn them as firewood. Although the tree itself is originated from Amazon area, but the lower grade rubberwood furniture usually made from the trees grown in southeast asian countries, mostly Malaysia. (See: Oak Vs. Teakwood). Although rubberwood is resistant to fungus, bacteria and mold, it needs a preservative before you can use it for outdoor pieces. University of Tennessee: Rubberwood - a common import, The Hindu: Emerging Alternatives to Teak Wood. Teak is also resistant to timber termite and other pests. Furthermore, because of its high oil content, it is also often used to make outdoor furniture, as the wood’s natural oils make it resistant to water, as well as to rot, fungi and mildew. (See: Pinewood Vs. Plywood), Image Courtesy: eurasian.com, europack.co.in. As the wood of a rubber tree, one would expect it to be soft and springy like, well, rubber. Teak is yellowish-brown to dark golden-brown in appearance. Rubberwood is essentially the wood that comes from the rubber tree, the Pará rubber tree to be specific. The trees can live up to 100 years, but are usually harvested for lumber when they are about 40 years old. Consequently, prices for teak have risen rapidly, over $20 per board foot in 2010. These types of seeds allow birds and insects to be attracted to the flowers of the tree and be able to carry the pollen to other trees. Teak is yellowish-brown to dark golden-brown in appearance. Rubberwood is also called parawood, white teak and Malaysian oak. Since the wood has very little shrinkage, it is one of the most consistent and stable furniture lumbers on the market. Teak originally served as shipbuilding material since it is so resistant to decay and water damage. Still, Burma accounts for almost one-third of the teak in the world, hence teakwood is also at times referred to as Burmese Teak. He is a certified Master Naturalist, regularly monitors stream water quality and is the editor of freshare.net, a site exploring the Ozarks outdoors. The grain is straight and the wood has an uneven texture as well as an oily feel as a result of the resins inside wood cells. For example, apples or nuts and seeds like acorns and walnuts. Rubberwood's color is similar to teak, but much lighter. This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions. Due to the high oil content, teak is known to durable even when it is not treated with oil or varnish. The resin is also responsible for teak's consistent sheen. Teak is a hardwood birch and it contains a highly water-resistant resin in the cambria (the heartwood) that makes this species impervious to decay, insect invasion and bacteria. Rubberwood is essentially the wood that comes from the rubber tree, the Pará rubber tree to be specific. However, after 25 – 30 years, the production of latex in the tree becomes very low; hence the tree is often cut down and replaced with another, which would be more financially viable. Rubberwood is a whitish lumber that gradually fades to a light brown over time. This makes is easily manageable in the kitchen. The high-quality teak is sourced from trees are that are at least 50 years old. The high-quality teak is sourced from trees are that are at least 50 years old. Rubberwood comes from rubber trees (Hevea brasiliensis), which grow in plantations in tropical climates in Asia, Africa and America. Previously, the felled rubber tree would be burned, as there would be no further use for it. Rubber trees produce latex and have historically been used only for collecting this component of rubber. (See Timber Vs. Lumber). (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Copyright © 2020, Difference Between | Descriptive Analysis and Comparisons. With a specific gravity (SG) of .604, teak is more dense than rubberwood (SG=.557), and it has a heftier feel. Teak wood is essentially sourced from the Tectona grandis tree species, which is native to south and southeast Asia, mainly India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Burma. The grain is straight and the wood has an uneven texture as well as an oily feel as a result of the resins inside wood cells. Teak is favored for use as decking and outdoor furniture pieces. Teak is often used to make furniture, especially countertops, as well as indoor flooring, veneer, carving, turnings, and other small wood projects, such as cutting boards. Like all hardwoods, rubberwood comes in varying degrees of quality. The grain, however, is symmetrical as opposed to oak's wavy patterns. It has a yellowish brown hue, which may mature overtime to a silvery-grey finish. Furthermore, rubberwood is touted over other types of wood because as it is essentially a recycled wood, it is more eco-friendly. Hardwood trees are also slower to grow, taking their own time. Most hardwood trees are also deciduous is nature. Rubberwood is best suited for indoor projects while teak claims top billing for outdoor pieces. Rubberwood's color is similar to teak, but much lighter. The Pará rubber tree is essentially grown in plantations for the latex it produces, which is then harvested and used in the production of commercial rubber. Hardwood is the wood that comes from an angiosperm tree. In many aspects, it is comparable to teak. Korpella's work has appeared in a variety of publications. This latex is used to make rubber. (See: Rubberwood Vs. Hardwood). Teak is also commonly used to make doors, window frames, and columns and beams. However, rubberwood is essentially a hardwood. Teak is native to Indonesia, India and Central America. However, in lieu of growing environmentalism, the wood from the felled rubber tree is now recycled and used in various applications. It also serves in flooring and in finish construction millwork. It costs about 60 percent less than teak.