Acacia is a genus of about 160 types of trees. It’s mainly found in the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world, specifically Africa and Australia where it’s known as wattles. Mainly acacia is used for wood due to its high durability and water resistance. The amount of durability acacia wood provide is insane, you can not scratch acacia wood easily along with that it is highly resistant to fungus.
Nowadays Acacia tree is found everywhere around the world, They can easily grow in any environment and there are more than 1300 species of acacia wood.
Uses of Acacia Wood
Mainly Acacia wood is used for furniture. All types of furniture and wood accessories are made from acacia wood. It’s also used in making kitchen accessories and utensils such as cutting boards, bowls,s and spatulas. Other than it’s also used in making kitchen and bathroom cabinets. The waterproof feature of acacia wood makes it best for use in the kitchen and bathroom.
- In the Philippines: Acaia is used for manufacturing boats (due to water resistance), its also used in cabinet making, joinery, and furniture. Due to its high density and durability, acacia wood is also used in the manufacturing of railway ties.
- In Hawaii: Due to its natural resonance It is used in the manufacturing of musical instruments such as ukuleles. Other than that it’s also fashioned into canoes and bowls.
- In Central America: Some species of acacia wood are found that grow fat thorns and those are used in making dolls, jewelry, and other types of souvenirs.
- In South-East Asia: Acacia wood is used for various purposes including wardrobe, parquet, flooring, and stair rails.
Uses Of Acacia In Medicine
Acacia wood is also a medicinal herb. It contains anti-plasmodial, anti-microbial, and antioxidant activities which are best for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis C and cancer.
- Cure Depression: Acacia contains active ingredients which are best for curing depression. There are multiple pharmaceutical drugs that contain acacia. Other than that Acacia wood contains a gum-like substance that can be consumed raw.
- Wound Healing: Acacia is proven effective in healing any type of open wound. A paste is created from the leaves and gum-type substance present in the acacia wood and then applied to the wound.
- Weight Gaining: Research has proved that consuming 40 grams of an acacia fiber supplement can suppress appetite for up to 4 hours. Acacia is known as a weight-gaining herb and is also in various weight-gaining drugs.
Features Of Acacia Wood
Acacia is an all-in-one wood. It’s packed with multiple features from strength to durability it’s a type of wood that can be used anywhere. The main reason for the popularity of acacia wood is its price. It’s a budget-friendly wood and the amount of features that it provides in its price is worth it.
Durability
Due to extreme durability, acacia wood is widely used for construction purposes as well. Due to high-density acacia beats out other popular wood choices such as bamboo, oak, and hickory.
Acacia wood is widely used in the manufacturing of outdoor furniture because it can handle any type of harsh weather conditions and also it’s not prone to scratches which is another plus point of its durability.
Water Resistance
Aside from the beautiful texture and durable feel acacia wood is also naturally water resistant. Acacia wood is best for outdoor furniture, it does not require protection from coming in contact with water or any other type of liquid.
It’s worth mentioning that Acacia wood is water resistant not waterproof so you still need to protect acacia wood from constant dripping of water. This is will protect the wood from any type of fungal problems as well.
Hardness
The density of acacia wood is near to a marble which makes it relatively more than any other wood. It can bear 2300 pounds of weight which makes it 55% harder than European White, 90% harder carbonized bamboo, and 23% harder hickory.
Affordability
Acacia wood grows in almost every part of the world. The main species of acacia wood are found plentifully in the Asian region and Australia. Due to the easy accessibility of acacia wood, its price is relatively lower than other species of wood.
Usability
The hardened tree sap of acacia contains a substance which is known as Gum Arabic. Gum Arabic is used for various purposes, from medicinal purposes to an additive in soft drinks. It is also in the outer hard coating of candies such as M&Ms.
It is also used in the manufacturing process. I have mentioned it in detail under the Uses Of Acacia Wood section.
Sustainability
Acacia is the most eco-friendly wood. After extracting the tree sap which is used for Gum Arabic, the wood is cut into large pieces which are later carved into furniture, boats, and other various things. The wood chips that are formed after cutting and chipping the wood, are used as fuel for the fire.
Appearance
Acacia has a naturally uneven grain that makes it look unique and high quality. Due to its elegant look, it is used in the manufacturing of various types of furniture such as tables, chairs, countertops, and even kitchen utensils. The colors of acacia wood are very distinctive and different from each other. Mainly acacia wood is in deep colors such as warm brown, auburn hue, etc.
Not two pieces of acacia are similar, each piece is different either in terms of grain or color. So if you want your furniture to look distinctive then I advise you should go with the acacia wood.
Final Thoughts:
After reading the whole thing you probably got the idea that how budget-friendly and eco-friendly acacia wood is. Acacia is an all-purpose wood as I have previously mentioned. It is used in food, beverages, medicines, furniture, boats, ornaments, and whatnot.
The best part about acacia is its appearance. The grain of acacia gives off an elegant look that’s why it is mainly used in furniture. In my opinion, Acacia wood provides a good return on investment. In this price range, you won’t find any other wood that provides these many benefits.
