Is rubberwood considered a “green” wood
Barb_Solar_Haven
| Posted in Green Products and Materials on
I seen products made out of Rubberwood that indicated that they are made out of a sustainable wood product, since they only use the wood after the tree can no longer be used for rubber. Is Rubberwood considered “green” similar to Bamboo?
Thanks,
Barb
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Replies
Barb,
I'm not familiar with rubberwood, but I'll get the ball rolling by quoting from Wikipedia -- not always a dependable source:
"Rubberwood is the wood from the Pará rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis). It has always been used on a small scale, but has become more common now, a relative new-comer on the market: the older practice was to just burn the tree at the end of its latex-producing cycle. However, these days standards for wood quality are lower. Rubberwood is now advertised as an "environmentally friendly" wood, as it makes use of plantation trees that have already served a useful function (however, in promoting the wood, sellers often go overboard and make false claims about its strength and durability). The wood, sometimes also called parawood, is very susceptible to decay and should be used only indoors. It tends to warp notably during drying. However, it is fairly easy to work, and glues well: it is mostly used in cheap products, such as toys and cutting boards, and the lower grades of furniture."