Mango Wood - how suitable is it for furniture?

We're passionate about sustainable furniture here at Modish Living and are always seeking new materials and designs that are both stylish and kind to the environment. That's why we love working with reclaimed wood furniture. We love how it looks, feels and that it's given a new lease of life in the shape of a stunning new piece of furniture. We are always on the look-out for other sustainable materials and are delighted to have discovered mango wood furniture.

What is mango wood?

Mango wood is as you expect, the wood from mango fruit trees. It is an evergreen tree that grows up to around 18 metres high and matures pretty quickly, generally taking just 10-15 years. It is classed as a hardwood tree thanks to its dense wood grain. In comparison to an oak tree, it is very fast-growing, with an oak tree taking around 75 years to mature.

Where does mango wood come from?

There are many mango plantations scattered around India, Southeast Asia, Brazil, Mexico as well as Australia where the fruit is harvested, but when the trees grow too tall to harvest easily or when they naturally stop producing fruit they are felled and new ones are plated in their place. This is where sustainability really comes in. Previously the waste wood was burned or just left to rot in situ. Nowadays the farmers are able to sell these felled trees and earn an extra income from what was once a waste product. It's a Plus, it provides So basically mango wood is a byproduct of mango fruit farms.

Another bonus is that the faster-growing rate means the raw material is more affordable than the traditional oak, maple, teak and other hardwoods that are used for furniture production, not to mention alleviating deforestation of endangered tree species.

How can mango wood be used?

What makes mango wood great for furniture is that despite being a hardwood, it is soft and easy to work with. It can be cut, shaped and carved allowing the furniture maker to be creative and unique. Mango wood is also incredibly water-resistant making it ideal for outdoor furniture as well as indoor furniture.

What does mango wood look like?

When it comes to aesthetics mango wood does not let us down either! The raw wood is normally a rich golden brown with attractive knots and wood grain patterning. It can even feature hints of brown, black and even pink due a natural fungus that can discolour the wood. This makes it especially desirable - you will see a stunning array of patterning over the surface of a mango wood dining table. It is also popular in industrial furniture with the warm rich colour contrasting with the cool metal framework. Of course, the timbers are always treated and dried before being used for production and the fungus does not in any way weaken the structural integrity of the wood.

What are the benefits of mango wood furniture?

When it comes to durability, again, mango wood doesn't let us down - it is a hardwood, its strength is comparable to oak and ash which is another bonus when producing furniture items that will last years....a further eco-friendly reason to consider mango wood furniture. Solid wood rustic furniture is easily repaired by furniture technicians which helps us move another step away from a throw-away society.

As with many other kinds of wood, it ages beautifully. All that is needed to maintain its lustre is a regular application of wax or furniture oil - speak with one of our team to check what is best to use.

Want to buy mango wood furniture?

Create a warm and beautiful home with our modern Ashington and Fenshaw Sustainable Mango Wood Furniture collections.