Ever eyed a Rubberwood piece and wondered, ‘Is this wood really strong?’ Dive in to unravel the mysteries of Rubberwood!
If you’re considering using Rubberwood for your projects, you should have a clear understanding of its strength.
I was curious about using rubberwood for heavy-duty projects due to its strength, so I conducted in-depth research with the help of experts to determine how strong rubberwood really is
Here’s what I’ve learned about, Is Rubberwood strong?
Yes, Rubberwood is a moderately strong wood with high compressive and bending strength than most other woods. Rubberwood is not rubbery and has high stiffness and hardness. It has high durability and is able used for commercial furniture, cabinets, carvings, and more because of its excellent strength.
But that’s a quick snapshot.
So, in this article, I’ll explore whether is Rubberwood strong, whether Rubberwood scratches easily, whether is Rubberwood more durable, and how to improve its strength with tips and techniques.
Furthermore, I’ll answer some frequently asked questions as well.
Let’s jump in!
How Strong Is Rubberwood?
Rubberwood is a moderately high wood with significantly high compressive strength and flexural strength.
Rubberwood is not rubbery as it seems. It is durable and hard. But most importantly, Rubberwood is easy to use.
The strength of Rubberwood depends on the following factors,
- Compressive strength
- Shearing strength
- Density
- Stiffness
- Hardness
So, let’s have a look at the actual values of Rubberwood in terms of the above factors to get an idea of how strong Rubberwood is.
| Compressive Strength | 4685 psi (32.3 Mpa) |
| Shearing Strength | 1595.4 psi (10.99 Mpa) |
| Density | 560 – 640 kgm-3 |
| Stiffness | 1.3 Mpsi |
| Hardness | 960 lbf (4,280 N) |
The compressive strength of Rubberwood is the capacity of wood to withstand loads before wood crack or break.
The Shearing strength of Rubberwood is the strength against yield or structural failure in shear.
As you can see, both the compressive strengths and shearing strengths of Rubberwood are good enough for any kind of woodworking project.
Rubberwood has a straight grain with an open porous structure. Therefore working, cutting, screwing, and nailing with Rubberwood is easy on behalf of its strength and durability.
Because of being a hardwood with high stiffness and density, Rubberwood is a long-lasting wood that can withstand high loads without losing its dimensional stability.
Strength Of Rubberwood
One of the first things you should know is that the name “Rubberwood” can be quite misleading.
Contrary to what some might assume, Rubberwood isn’t “rubbery.” In fact, it boasts of qualities that place it firmly in the moderately strong wood category.
So, if you’ve ever imagined a squishy or malleable plank of wood, let’s put that myth to bed.
Delving into the Numbers
To truly grasp the strength of Rubberwood, let’s get a bit technical and look at some numbers:
- Compressive Strength: Rubberwood showcases a compressive strength of 4685 psi (32.3 Mpa). In layman’s terms, this represents the wood’s ability to withstand loads without cracking or breaking.
- Shearing Strength: At 1595.4 psi (10.99 Mpa), Rubberwood’s shearing strength, which measures resistance against structural failure in shear, is commendable for a variety of woodworking projects.
- Density and Hardness: Rubberwood’s density ranges from 560 to 640 kgm-3, with a hardness value of 960 lbf (4,280 N). It’s this balance of density and hardness that makes it resilient against scratches, even comparable to the revered teak wood.
For context, I recall working on a Rubberwood dining table once.
Despite accidentally dropping a few heavy tools on it during the process, the wood held its own, showcasing minimal dents or scratches. A testament to its resilience!
A Friend to Woodworkers: Workability and Durability
Apart from its sheer strength, Rubberwood has another ace up its sleeve: its workability.
With a straight grain and open porous structure, it’s a joy to work with. Cutting, screwing, and nailing become effortless tasks.
Imagine carving intricate patterns or effortlessly driving in a nail without the wood splintering; Rubberwood makes it possible.
Furthermore, its natural resistance against decay ensures longevity, especially if it’s adequately stained and finished.
Think of that Rubberwood coffee table you bought years ago. With proper care, it’s likely to outlive many of its counterparts made from other wood types.
The Outdoor Caution
While Rubberwood is a marvel indoors, it has its kryptonite: moisture. If you’re planning to set up a beautiful Rubberwood bench in your garden, think twice.
Exposure to external elements, especially moisture, can cause the wood to rot over time.
And let’s not forget the potential for insect attacks. Always best to keep Rubberwood beauties sheltered indoors.
Is Rubberwood More Durable?
Rubberwood has extremely high durability compared to most woods because of having excellent strength and resistance against environmental elements.
Even though Rubberwood is not super hard and strong, its moderate strength is well enough to make any furniture that we use in our day-to-day lives.
Plus, it has small resistance against decaying as well. This makes Rubberwood furniture long-lasting and durable.
Because of having a straight grain with a large pores structure, Rubberwood takes stain so well and is able to finish easily compared to other strong woods.
With proper staining and finishing, Rubberwood woodwork and furniture are able to last over decades without any issues.
But Rubberwood is not durable for outdoor use since it absorbs moisture like a sponge. Therefore, Rubberwood rots easily when placed outside and it is susceptible to insect attacks as well.
Therefore, Rubberwood is not the best option for outdoor furniture.
Overall, Rubberwood is strong, durable, hard, and dense. It is one of the best woods for furniture making.
Is Rubberwood Strong for Kitchen Cabinets?
Yes, Rubberwood is strong enough to use for kitchen cabinets. It has excellent compressive strength that can bear loads without losing its structure.
Therefore, you can keep heavy items in Rubberwood kitchen cabinets without worrying about the wood.
Rubberwood kitchen cabinets are, beautiful, long-lasting, have high dimensional stability, are dense, lightweight, take stain well, and are super easy to work with.
One thing you need to worry about is the moisture since the kitchen is an area full of moisture in the air.
Therefore, proper finishing and sealing are a must for Rubberwood kitchen cabinets to protect them from moisture.
Other than that, Rubberwood is an excellent wood with strength for kitchen cabinets.
Is Rubberwood Strong for Dining Table?
Rubberwood is strong enough for a dining table. The dining table is woodwork that frequently needs to deal with force and pressure.
Therefore, you need to select good stability and strength to deal with high forces.
Rubberwood is one of the best woods you should go to for a dining table.
Rubberwood is anti-termite, and it has good elasticity. Therefore, it can withstand expansions and contractions of wood surfaces.
Plus, it has excellent resistance against scratches and dents.
Overall, Rubberwood is strong and durable enough for the dining table.
Does Rubberwood Scratch Easily?
Rubberwood does not scratch easily since it is strong and dense. In terms of hardness, it is similar to teak wood. Therefore, it can withstand scratches without damaging the wooden surface.
Because of having excellent scratch resistance, Rubberwood furniture is able barefoot traffic.
Therefore, Rubberwood is mostly used as a flooring material. It can withstand dog scratches and foot traffic without damaging the floor due to its high strength.
How Hard Is Rubberwood?
Rubberwood is a hardwood with moderate strength and durability.
According to the Janka hardness scale, Rubberwood has a higher hardness rating of 960 lbf (4,280 N) compared to most softwoods and some hardwoods as well.
Janka hardness test is a standard method used to measure the hardness of any wood according to its resistance to wear and tear.
Woods with high wear and tear resistance score higher ratings on the Janka hardness rating.
Here’re the Janka hardness ratings of the most popular wood types.
Hardness of Rubberwood Compared to Other Woods
By observing this scale, you can get a clear idea about how hard rubber wood is compared to other wood types.
| Wood species | Hardness value |
| Brazilian Walnut | 3,684 lbf (16,390 N) |
| Red Mahogany, Turpentine | 2,697 lbf (12,000 N) |
| Brazilian Cherry, Jatoba | 2,350 lbf (10,500 N) |
| Golden Teak | 2,330 lbf (10,400 N) |
| Hickory, Pecan, Satinwood | 1,820 lbf (8,100 N) |
| Hard Maple, Sugar Maple | 1,450 lbf (6,400 N) |
| White Oak | 1,360 lbf (6,000 N) |
| Ash (White) | 1,320 lbf (5,900 N) |
| American Beech | 1,300 lbf (5,800 N) |
| Red Oak (Northern) | 1,290 lbf (5,700 N) |
| Yellow Birch / Baltic birch | 1,260 lbf (5,600 N) |
| Teak | 1,155 lbf (5,140 N) |
| Black Walnut, North American Walnut | 1,010 lbf (4,500 N) |
| Cherry | 995 lbf (4,430 N) |
| Rubberwood | 960 lbf (4,280 N) |
| Black Cherry, Imbuia | 950 lbf (4,200 N) |
| Red Maple | 950 lbf (4,200 N) |
| Douglas Fir | 710 lbf (3,158 N) |
| Silver Maple | 700 lbf (3,100 N) |
| Redwood | 420 lbf (1,868 N) |
| Engelmann Spruce | 390 lbf (1,735 N) |
| Sugar Pine | 380 lbf (1,690 N) |
| Red Cedar | 350 lbf (1,557 N) |
| White Cedar | 320 lbf (1,423 N) |
| Balsa Wood | 67 lbf (300 N) |
As you can see Rubberwood is significantly harder and denser than most woods that we commonly used for our woodworking projects.
Rubberwood is underrated. It is hardwood with excellent strength dense and stiffness.
Because of having great hardness, Rubberwood can use for any woodworking project without considering its density.
Plus, working with Rubberwood is easier than many hardwoods and it is an environmentally friendly option to use as a commercial-grade furniture manufacturing material.
Now you have a clear idea about whether is rubberwood strong with its applications.
So, let’s compare the strength of Rubberwood strong with other wood types.
Is Rubberwood Stronger Than Pine?
Pine is significantly stronger than Rubberwood. Both white Pine and yellow Pine are stronger than Rubberwood because of having excellent resistance against forces.
Even though Pine wood is considered softwood, its strength can replace strong hardwood like Rubberwood.
The compressive strengths of Pine and Rubberwood are as follows,
| Wood Species | Compressive Strength |
| Rubberwood | 4685 psi |
| White Pine | 4,800 psi |
| Yellow Pine | 8,470 psi |
Is Rubberwood Stronger Than Oak?
Oak is stronger than Rubberwood. Both red Oak and white Oak woods are stronger, denser, and harder than Rubberwood.
Therefore, in terms of strength, Rubberwood can be replaced with Oakwood.
The compressive strengths of Pine and Oakwood are as follows,
| Wood Species | Compressive Strength |
| Rubberwood | 4685 psi |
| Red Oak | 6,760 psi |
| White Oak | 7,440 psi |
Is Rubberwood Stronger Than MDF?
Rubberwood is stronger than MDF. Rubberwood is denser and harder than MDF.
Even though MDF is a popular wood composite material that performs so much better in some areas than raw woods, it can’t compete with hardwood like Rubberwood.
Strength is one of the main drawbacks of MDF compared to hardwoods.
Not like Rubberwood, MDF tends to split under pressure due to poor flexural strengths. You cannot apply high forces on MDF because they tend to warp and crack.
It cannot tolerate high pressures, forces, and harsh weather conditions.
Always go for a solid hardwood-like rubber rather than MDF, especially because of its exceptional strengths.
Rubberwood is strong enough for any wood woodworking project compared to MDF.
So, let’s answer some frequently asked questions.
FAQs
Does Rubberwood scratch easily?
Thanks to its balanced density and hardness, Rubberwood exhibits good resistance against scratches, often comparable to teak.
How well does Rubberwood hold screws and nails?
Rubberwood offers excellent workability, allowing screws and nails to be driven in effortlessly without causing splintering or cracks.
Is Rubberwood sustainable and eco-friendly?
Yes, Rubberwood is considered an eco-friendly option since it’s sourced from rubber trees that have ceased latex production, effectively making use of what might otherwise be wasted.
Do I need special care or finish for my Rubberwood furniture?
While Rubberwood has a natural resistance against decay, it benefits from regular cleaning and an occasional application of a protective finish to maintain its beauty and durability.
Did I cover all you wanted to know about: Is Rubberwood Strong?
In this article, I’ve deeply discussed Rubberwood strong, the durability of Rubberwood, and the strength of Rubberwood as kitchen cabinet and dining table material as well.
Rubberwood is a strong hardwood with high compressive strength of 4686 psi and stiffness of 1.3 Mpsi. Rubberwood can be used for any woodworking project because of being harder, denser, and stronger than most other softwoods. It is hard as teak and stronger than Aspen.
Furthermore, I’ve answered some frequently asked questions as well.
Hope you have gained good knowledge about whether Is rubberwood strong and how it is beneficial in the woodworking world.
Use Rubberwood for your next woodworking project and see how strong Rubberwood is.
