Acacia wood used for furniture making usually does not come from true acacia, but from black locust. This tree is botanically known as false acacia or pseudoacacia and is significantly larger than true acacia. However, in Europe, black locust is commonly referred to as acacia. In India and parts of Asia, certain 'true' acacia species are also used for furniture making, but the wood for our solid wood furniture comes from black locust.
Acacia wood has an elegant grain and is rather light in color with a very natural tone. Initially, it is greenish-yellow, but it darkens relatively quickly to a golden brown. The wood readily accepts glazes and furniture oil but can also be processed in its original natural tone without problems. The wood appears elegant and smooth, with sharply defined growth rings and a striped pattern.
In terms of strength, acacia is an enormously durable and hard wood, yet it is also flexible. It is therefore very well suited for solid wood furniture, for example for dining tables or coffee tables with live edges and dressers, sideboards, display cabinets, but it can also be used for parquet, posts, and doors and stairs.
It should be noted that acacia wood can be somewhat sensitive to strongly fluctuating temperatures and humidity. Acacia wood feels most comfortable at reasonably constant temperatures and a constant humidity of 45% to 60%. Extreme temperature fluctuations or proximity to a strong heat source (e.g., fireplace or heater) cause the wood to 'breathe' relatively strongly – it contracts and expands again when cooled. This can cause the table to warp or cracks to form. Therefore, a table or other piece of acacia furniture should not be placed directly next to a fireplace or heater.
In any case, one thing is certain: with acacia wood, you have a very durable and sustainable piece of furniture that you will enjoy for years.
When furnishing, acacia wood furniture can be combined with other brown furniture or, as a contrast, with lighter furniture with a subtle grain. One should only be careful not to have too many intensely different grains in one room.
Please note that this information is only general information about the wood type.
