Decking ~ Ironwood vs vs Palm Wood vs Accoya®

Today, there are many home owners who preferred either iron wood or palm wood or Accoya® for their balcony and patios. All three can be considered as relatively better outdoor decking materials than most traditional wood such as chengal and balau in terms of strong resistance to rain and sunshine.

Hence what is the difference between iron wood, palm wood and Accoya®?

Ironwood, such as Borneo ironwood and Okan, has a rich source of timber supply; that consists of about 27 similar species that grow in most part of the world. Because of this, iron wood is suitable for wooden construction in different climates around the world. On top of that, iron wood is also considered as one of the top ten hardest woods in the world in terms of Janka hardness. Moreover, it has very high dimensional density which makes it stable to external pressures such as changes in moisture and temperature of the surrounding. The density of the iron wood is already very high even before the kiln drying process.

However, iron wood has a higher tendency to crack especially under strong heat and direct sunlight. On top of that, due to its hard properties, it is difficult to absorb stains and coating which will lead to color variation.

Palm Wood, originated from tropical coconut wood, is considered as a green and eco-renewable decking product because it is produced through the recycling process. After palm wood has gone through the kiln drying process, its dimensional density becomes many times higher than before and much stronger than most traditional wood decking materials. Because of its high density, palm wood decking has very strong resistance to all weather. 

Accoya® is the leading technological timber in the world. It that has the most recognized environmental credentials such as  the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®), the Singapore Green Label, Cradle to Cradle SM  Gold Certificate, PEFC and other reputable accreditations.Due to its outstanding dimensional stability and enhanced durability, Accoya® wood is suitable for all kind of outdoors and indoor woodworks  such as flooring, decking, wall cladding, sun shading, outdoor benches, pergolas , saunas and even heavy duty works like structural bridges. 

Accoya® wood has Class 1 durability and provides a guarantee scheme of 50 years above ground and 25 years in direct soil contact.With Accoya®, property owners and private clients can enjoy full quality & beauty woodworks by also having the benefit of  the sustainable and green credentials for their own environment.

Hence at the end of the day, Accoya® might be one of the best choices for decking. But it is still up to the home owners to decide which timber to choose for decking.