Tropical wood
The Wood Guide · Choosing and comparing
OverviewTropical hardwood
Slow-grown, extremely dense and resistant to wind and weather for decades. With one question you cannot skip: where does it come from?
- Class 1–2
- 25 to 50 years outdoors
- Origin is the key question
Tropical hardwood
Slow-grown, extremely dense and resistant to wind and weather for decades. With one question you cannot skip: where does it come from?
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Tropical hardwood in brief
Not one wood species but a collection: species from South America, Africa and Asia that have one thing in common — they grow slowly and are therefore exceptionally dense.
These trees grow in humid, warm primeval forests, sometimes for a hundred years or more before they are harvested. That slowness produces extremely dense wood with natural oils, resins and tannins that protect it against rot, fungi, insects and UV radiation. No pressure treatment needed: the wood defends itself.
That comes at a price, and not only in euros. What grew for a hundred years is felled in a day. Some species are endangered, and with tropical hardwood origin is a real question — not a formality.
We use tropical hardwood in a limited part of our range, mainly in teak benches. For picnic tables we deliberately choose pressure-treated European spruce: less exotic, more than good enough for the purpose, and without the question above.
- Origin
- South America, Africa, Southeast Asia
- Growing time
- often 60 to 100+ years
- Density
- 800 to 1,100+ kg/m³
- Durability
- class 1 to 2
- Service life outdoors
- 25 to 50 years, untreated
- Protection
- natural oils, resins and tannins
To be fair: tropical hardwood is heavy, hard to work and expensive. Pre-drilling is a must, saw blades wear quickly, and you cannot lift a three-metre board on your own. For a DIY project, that is a real drawback.
The species you will come across
Under the heading "tropical hardwood" there are big differences. These six are the ones you will meet most often in practice.
| Species | Colour and character | What for |
|---|---|---|
| Ipé | Dark reddish brown to olive green, very oily | Decking and boardwalks — the standard for heavily used decks |
| Cumaru | Warm chocolate brown, lightly scented | Decking, cladding |
| Teak | Golden brown, high oil content | Garden furniture — the classic furniture hardwood |
| Padauk | Bright orange-red, darkens to deep brown | Furniture, façades, decorative work |
| Azobé | Dark purplish brown, extremely heavy | Hydraulic engineering, sheet piling, bridges |
| Bilinga | Golden yellow to orange | Hydraulic engineering, jetties, park benches |
Ipe is excellent for a deck and overkill for a planter. Azobé is indestructible in water and far too heavy for a garden bench. The most expensive species is rarely the right one.
Why it lasts so long
Slow-grown
Narrow growth rings mean more wood fibre per cubic centimetre. That is the basis of the density.
Its own chemistry
Oils, resins and tannins in the heartwood make it unattractive to fungi and insects — the reason for class 1.
Little moisture uptake
The dense structure barely lets water in, and without moisture no fungus can get to work.
Weathers gracefully
Untreated, it turns silver-grey without losing strength. If you want to keep the colour, oil it once or twice a year.
Where does it come from?
This is the question you should always ask about tropical hardwood, and one an honest supplier answers concretely: which country, which forest, which supply chain. Vague labels such as "sustainably harvested" or "responsible" without a country of origin mean nothing.
E-woodproducts does not hold a forest certificate. We think it is more honest to say so than to suggest a label we do not have. What we do: keep the share of tropical wood in our range limited and use European softwood for the bulk of our furniture.
A good answer includes
- The country and preferably the region of origin
- The botanical name, not just the trade name
- How the forest is managed and whether replanting takes place
- EUDR compliance — mandatory in the EU since 2025
If you do not need it
- Pressure-treated European spruce for garden furniture
- Accoya for maximum service life without tropical forest
- Thermally modified wood for cladding and decking
- Robinia or sweet chestnut — European and naturally durable
Frequently asked questions about tropical hardwood
How long does tropical hardwood last?
For class 1 species such as ipe, teak and azobé, 25 years outdoors is normal, and in favourable conditions it reaches 50 years or more — without treatment. See the durability classes.
Does tropical hardwood need oiling?
Not for its service life. For its colour, yes: untreated, it turns grey within a season. One or two coats of oil a year keep the warm tone.
Is there a European alternative?
Yes. Accoya achieves class 1 from ordinary softwood, thermally modified wood is around class 2, and sweet chestnut is naturally durable.
Why is tropical hardwood so expensive?
Slow growth, long-distance transport, and the working: the wood is so hard that saw blades wear faster and every screw has to be pre-drilled. That labour is in the price.
Tropical hardwood in perspective
The best wood for outdoors, with the heaviest question behind it.
Have a question about your project? Just ask — we're happy to help.
Photos via Wikimedia Commons: Tayap, Cameroon — Eric Freyssinge, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Cameroon — Kondah, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Lophira alata — Tim van de Staak, CC BY-SA 4.0