Robinia or tropical hardwood (ipe, teak) – the comparison

Robinia series · Focus: comparing timber species

Tropical-grade durability exists in Europe – what changes is the price, the distance and the traceability.

Ipe, teak and cumaru built their reputation on exceptional durability. It is real. But in recent years three things have changed: prices have soared, the main species are now under international monitoring, and a European hardwood plays in the same durability league – robinia, also known as black locust, and often sold as acacia.

Here is the comparison, backed by figures and regulations – acknowledging what tropical hardwoods still do better.

≈ 2,000 km vs more than 10,000

the distance travelled by a Romanian robinia decking board to most of Western Europe, against an Amazonian ipe board

Round platform in finger-jointed robinia decking boards in a public park: use class 4 – permanent exposure to moisture – with no treatment at all.

Durability: same use class, different continent

Ipe is rated class 1 (very durable, EN 350) and serves outdoors for several decades: nothing to fault there. Robinia (Robinia pseudoacacia) is rated class 1-2 and is also used in use class 4, in ground contact, without treatment – the only European hardwood that can claim this, with properties comparable to teak. Teak, in fact, deserves a caveat: natural-forest teak is class 1, but most of today's market is plantation teak, whose durability ranges from class 1 to 3 depending on age and management.

Head to head, point by point

Criterion	Robinia	Ipe / tropical hardwoods
Natural durability (EN 350)	Class 1-2	Ipe: class 1; plantation teak: 1 to 3
Use class	4 – ground contact, no treatment	4 for ipe
Density at 12 %	≈ 740 kg/m³	Ipe ≈ 1,040 kg/m³; teak ≈ 650
Stability (shrinkage)	Lively timber – finger-jointing corrects it	Ipe very stable, low shrinkage
Decking, board price	≈ half the price of ipe	Ipe ≈ €140-180/m²; cumaru €90-130
CITES	Not listed	Ipe and cumaru: Appendix II (Nov. 2024); padauk: 2023
FSC certification	FSC® 100 % available	Rare for ipe
Transport	≈ 2,000 km, by road within Europe	More than 10,000 km, sea + road
EUDR traceability	Registered European forest plots	Complex tropical supply chains

Two rows of this table deserve a closer look: CITES and legality. Since November 2024, ipe and cumaru have been listed in Appendix II of CITES – trade remains legal but requires permits certifying that harvesting does not harm the species; African padauk has been listed since 2023. And the Greenpeace investigation in the state of Pará (Brazil) showed that 77 % of the ipe logging permits examined overestimated the volumes actually available – the hallmark of illegal timber laundering. Buying clean ipe is possible, but it calls for a vigilance that few quotes mention.

The EUDR applies to us too – and that is a good thing

The EU Deforestation Regulation (the EUDR) requires due diligence for all timber placed on the market, Romanian robinia included: geolocation of plots, a due diligence statement, a reference number. The difference is not exemption, it is ease: our plots are registered in the land register, tracked in SUMAL and documented by APV – compliance has been part of our daily routine for years, whereas an Amazonian supply chain has to rebuild it link by link.

Loading robinia decking boards at the sawmill in Romania: around 2,000 km by road to most of Western Europe.

Where tropical hardwoods keep the advantage

Honestly: ipe is harder and more stable than robinia. Its shrinkage is very low, its boards stay remarkably flat, and it comes in long single-piece lengths with consistent widths and a very even deep-brown colour. Robinia, a lively timber from crooked trees, moves more – which is the whole point of our finger-jointed profiles: they provide the stability and the 6 m lengths, but at a cost. For a project where perfect flatness and a uniform dark colour matter above all else, ipe still has its place – at its price, and with its paperwork.

Seafront furniture in finger-jointed robinia boards: finger-jointing – short pieces glued end to end – gives long lengths and curved shapes.

Key points

· Durability: ipe class 1, robinia class 1-2 – the same use class 4, two continents apart.

· Decking price: for the boards supplied, robinia comes in at around half the price of ipe.

· Ipe and cumaru under CITES Appendix II since November 2024; FSC rare for ipe; 77 % of Pará ipe permits found suspect (Greenpeace).

· The EUDR: robinia is subject to it as well – but registered European plots make compliance simple.

· Ipe keeps the edge on stability, long solid lengths and even colour; finger-jointed robinia answers back, at lower cost.

Frequently asked questions

Is ipe more durable than robinia?

Ipe is rated class 1 (very durable, EN 350), robinia class 1-2: both are used in use class 4, outdoors, without treatment, for decades. Over the real service life of a deck or a fence, the difference is marginal – the choice depends on price, stability, colour and traceability, not on the survival of the wood.

Why is ipe covered by CITES?

Because commercial pressure was threatening the resource: the ipe genera (Handroanthus, Tabebuia, Roseodendron) and cumaru were listed in CITES Appendix II, in force since 25 November 2024. Trade remains permitted, but every export requires a permit certifying that harvesting is not detrimental to the species. Robinia, a fast-growing European species, is not affected.

Is robinia decking cheaper than ipe?

Yes, markedly: for durability in the same use class, robinia boards come in at around half the price of ipe. The difference pays for the substructure – robinia joists for use class 4 – or a few extra square metres. We do not publish a price per square metre: it varies too much with the profile (solid or finger-jointed board), the lengths, the quantity and the sales channel. Ask for a quote on your sections.

Is plantation teak as good as forest teak?

Rarely. Natural-forest teak is rated very durable (class 1), but most of the teak sold today comes from fast-growing plantations, whose durability ranges from class 1 to 3 depending on the age at harvest. An entry-level "teak" can therefore be less durable than robinia – check the origin before paying for the prestige of the name.

Further reading

Reference guide: "Robinia outdoors – the complete guide".

See also: "Robinia or pressure-treated pine (use class 4) – the comparison" · "Robinia or sweet chestnut – the comparison" · "Finger-jointed robinia decking and cladding – stable and durable" (the answer to long lengths).

Our products: Finger-jointed decking board · Finger-jointed cladding board · Finger-jointed joists · Square posts.

Contact: Have a decking quote in ipe or cumaru to compare? Send us the area: the sawmill will price the robinia equivalent, boards and substructure.

Disclaimer. Non-contractual article, provided for information only (photos and drawings included). Robinia is a natural material: the values given are orders of magnitude and may change without notice; in case of discrepancy, only the product’s technical data sheet and the general terms of sale apply. Always check the regulations that apply to your project.

© Xylo Impact SRL — all rights reserved, products marketed under the Acacia Poles brand. Any reproduction, even partial, is prohibited without prior authorisation.