Rubber Wood
Rubber wood is the timber of Hevea brasiliensis, the para rubber tree, cut when the tree stops yielding latex at the end of its tapping life. It is a pale, straight grained, medium density hardwood that machines and glues well, takes stain and paint evenly, and comes from a plantation crop rather than a forest, which is why it is one of the most widely used furniture timbers in the world. Because the standing tree is a rubber plantation asset first and a timber asset second, the supply follows the replanting cycle rather than a felling programme. The wood is very high in starch and sugar and will stain and be attacked by borers within days of felling if it is not treated, so almost all traded rubber wood is boron treated and kiln dried before it leaves origin. It moves as sawn timber, finger jointed and edge glued panel, furniture component, and as chip and fibre for particleboard and medium density fibreboard.
Listed rubber wood markets
Each line is a grade at a delivery point. Open one for its full specification and terms.
Grades
Rubber wood is bought on the treatment and the drying before anything else, because untreated rubber wood does not survive the voyage. Every parameter names how it is measured. Preservative retention and penetration are analysed rather than declared, and the glue line specification is written into the contract for panel and finger jointed material.
Species, form and identification
8 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| SpeciesHevea brasiliensis, confirmed by the plantation record and by wood anatomy where required | The only species traded as rubber wood. Plantation origin means the species is documented from the estate record rather than inferred. |
| Plantation statusDeclared, as estate replanting, smallholder replanting, or storm and disease clearance | Recorded because it determines the age, the diameter distribution and the continuity of supply from that source. |
| FormDeclared, as sawn timber, finger jointed laminated board, edge glued panel, furniture component, chip, or fibre | Each form carries its own dimensional, moisture and adhesive specification. |
| Sawing patternDeclared, as through and through, plain sawn, or rip sawn to a component size | Governs the movement of the piece in service and the yield the buyer will get from it. |
| Preservative systemDeclared, naming the active, the treatment method and the treatment date | Boron systems applied by dipping, diffusion or vacuum pressure are the standard. The method is named because dipping and pressure treatment do not give the same penetration. |
| Drying methodDeclared, as air dried, kiln dried to a stated schedule, or a combination | The kiln schedule and the final target moisture content are stated, since rubber wood is prone to collapse and honeycomb if dried too fast. |
| Adhesive systemDeclared where the material is finger jointed or edge glued, naming the resin and the bond class | Urea formaldehyde, melamine urea formaldehyde and polyvinyl acetate systems give different water and heat resistance, so the resin is named rather than implied. |
| Surface conditionDeclared, as rough sawn, planed on stated faces, or sanded to a stated grit | The delivered surface state, since the buyer prices the machining that remains. |
Grading and appearance
9 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Grading rule appliedDeclared, naming the hardwood grading rule or the mill house rule the parcel is graded against | Named explicitly with the face graded, because rubber wood is graded to house rules as often as to a published rule. |
| KnotsMeasured as the diameter, the soundness and the position of each knot on the graded face | Recorded against a stated maximum by size and by count. Loose and unsound knots are separated from sound knots. |
| Blue stainAssessed as the percentage of the face affected and whether the stain penetrates the thickness | The characteristic defect of rubber wood, caused by fungi feeding on the sugar in the wood after felling. Judged on both faces. |
| Pith and heartMeasured as the presence and the length of pith on the piece | Pith is weak and splits, and its presence is recorded and limited rather than tolerated silently. |
| Splits and checksMeasured as the length and the depth of each split, on the face and on the ends | Recorded against a stated maximum, with end splits measured separately since they are the normal drying defect. |
| Insect damageCounted as the number of borer holes per piece and per parcel | Recorded with a stated maximum and with a live infestation check, since rubber wood is a favoured borer host. |
| WarpMeasured as bow, spring, twist and cup, each with a gauge and a straight edge over the stated length | Each of the four is measured separately and against its own tolerance, because they are corrected by different machining. |
| Colour uniformityAssessed visually under daylight against a retained sample | Rubber wood is bought for its pale even colour, and the parcel is matched to a retained reference rather than to a colour name. |
| Finger joint qualityInspected on the joint profile, the glue line and the joint spacing | Recorded against the stated minimum joint length, maximum glue line thickness and minimum distance between joints. |
Dimensions and measurement
7 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| ThicknessMeasured with a calliper at several points along the piece | Recorded in millimetres at the stated moisture condition, with the tolerance stated separately for rough and dressed material. |
| WidthMeasured with a calliper or a rule at the narrowest point | Recorded as the minimum, with the tolerance stated. |
| LengthMeasured with a tape end to end | Recorded in millimetres with the tolerance stated, and whether the length is nominal or minimum. |
| Panel dimensionsMeasured on length, width and thickness, with squareness measured on the diagonals | Thickness variation across the panel and the diagonal difference are recorded separately from the nominal size. |
| VolumeCalculated from the measured dimensions and the piece count, at the stated moisture condition | The invoice basis for sawn material. The rounding convention and the moisture condition are both named. |
| Piece countCounted and recorded on the packing list per bundle | The tally that the volume calculation is built from, signed by both parties or by the appointed inspector. |
| Bundle specificationDeclared, as the pieces per bundle, the strapping and the wrapping | Stated because it governs handling, stowage and the condition the parcel arrives in. |
Physical and moisture condition
8 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Moisture contentDetermined by oven drying to constant mass, or by calibrated resistance meter at a stated depth | Reported as a percentage of the dry mass with the method named. Furniture component stock is contracted within a narrow band because the wood moves in a heated interior. |
| Moisture distributionDetermined by measuring at multiple points across the bundle and at core and surface | Recorded because an average that hides a wet core will produce failures after machining. |
| Preservative retentionDetermined by analysis of a core sample for boron, expressed as mass of the active per unit volume | Measured on samples drawn across the parcel to the sampling plan named in the contract. |
| Preservative penetrationDetermined by a colour indicator test on a freshly cut cross section | Recorded as the depth of penetration and as the percentage of the cross section reached, since surface treatment alone will not protect the piece. |
| DensityDetermined by mass and volume measurement at the stated moisture condition | Reported with the moisture condition, since the density figure is meaningless without it. |
| Mould and staining fungiInspected visually on the face and on a cut section | Checked at loading and again at discharge, because a parcel shipped marginally wet will arrive mouldy. |
| Formaldehyde emissionTested to the method and the class named in the contract, on panel and finger jointed material | Contracted to a stated emission class for material destined for indoor furniture, with the test method named. |
| Bond durabilityTested by the delamination, boil or shear method named in the contract | Panel and finger jointed material is tested to the bond class claimed, since the claim is otherwise unverifiable. |
Legality, certification and phytosanitary status
8 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Harvest legalityDocumented against the plantation ownership record and the replanting or felling authorisation | Rubber wood comes off a registered agricultural holding, so the estate or smallholder record is the legality evidence. |
| Deforestation regulation statusAssessed against the destination requirements applying to the product | Where the destination requires geolocation of the plot and a due diligence statement, that evidence is assembled at the estate before shipment. |
| Import declarationFiled as the destination requires for plant material | Species and country of harvest are declared from the estate records rather than reconstructed at the port. |
| CertificationDeclared, as the forest management or chain of custody scheme, the certificate number and the claim made | Certified rubber wood plantations are established in the principal origins, and the certificate scope is checked against the actual estate. |
| Phytosanitary certificateIssued by the national plant protection organisation of the exporting country | Required by most destinations, with the preservative or heat treatment named on the certificate. |
| Chemical treatment declarationDeclared, naming the preservative, the concentration and the treatment date | Required by many destinations and by furniture buyers whose own products carry a chemical declaration. |
| Wood packagingISPM 15 treatment of any wood packaging material used | Applies to the pallets, bearers and dunnage independently of the cargo treatment. |
| Tariff classificationHarmonized System classification agreed before shipment | Sawn timber, glued panel, furniture component and fibre classify separately, and the classification is agreed in advance. |
Inspection, documentation and settlement
9 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| InspectionBy an independent inspection company, or by a buyer appointed grader, named in the contract | Grading, tally, measurement and condition checked at loading or at discharge as agreed, with a report and photographs issued to both parties. |
| TallyPiece by piece or by parcel, as the contract states | The count and measurement record that the invoice is built from, signed by both parties or by the appointed inspector. |
| Measurement basisDeclared, as the standard and the moisture condition the volume is calculated at | Named explicitly, because volume in this trade depends on the rule applied and on whether the material is green or dried. |
| Treatment certificateIssued by the treatment plant, naming the active, the schedule and the date | Retained with the shipment file, since it is the evidence behind the retention and penetration figures. |
| Grading disputeResolved by a reinspection under the named rule, by an agreed independent grader | The reinspection procedure, the time limit for claiming and who bears the cost are all written in. |
| Phytosanitary certificationIssued by the plant protection organisation of the exporting country | Names the treatment applied and travels with the cargo. Required by most destinations for wood and wood products. |
| Container conditionInspected before stuffing, with the container dried and lined as the contract requires | Rubber wood will mould in a wet container, so the container is inspected and, where agreed, desiccant is loaded with the cargo. |
| Payment termsDocumentary credit, cash against documents or open account, as agreed | Stated with the provisional and final invoice mechanism where the settlement depends on a tally or a grading at discharge. |
| Insurance and carriageDeclared, with the Incoterm and the insured value | The Incoterms rule named with the version year, and the party carrying the risk over each leg. |
Grades outside this list trade on request. Send us the contract specification you work to and we will price against it.
Locations
| Country | Region | We trade it as |
|---|---|---|
| Thailand | Asia | Origin and destination |
| Malaysia | Asia | Origin and destination |
| Indonesia | Asia | Origin and destination |
| Vietnam | Asia | Origin and destination |
| India | Asia | Origin and destination |
| Sri Lanka | Asia | Origin and destination |
| Myanmar | Asia | Origin and destination |
| Cambodia | Asia | Origin and destination |
| Laos | Asia | Origin and destination |
| Philippines | Asia | Origin and destination |
| China | Asia | Origin and destination |
| Cote d'Ivoire | Africa | Origin and destination |
| Liberia | Africa | Origin and destination |
| Ghana | Africa | Origin and destination |
| Nigeria | Africa | Origin and destination |
| Cameroon | Africa | Origin and destination |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Africa | Origin and destination |
| Brazil | South America | Origin and destination |
| Mexico | North America | Origin and destination |
| United States | North America | Origin and destination |
| Canada | North America | Origin and destination |
| United Kingdom | Europe | Origin and destination |
| Netherlands | Europe | Origin, destination and trading hub |
| Belgium | Europe | Origin, destination and trading hub |
| Germany | Europe | Origin and destination |
| France | Europe | Origin and destination |
| Spain | Europe | Origin and destination |
| Italy | Europe | Origin and destination |
| Poland | Europe | Origin and destination |
| Turkey | Europe and Middle East | Origin and destination |
| United Arab Emirates | Middle East | Origin, destination and trading hub |
| Japan | Asia | Origin and destination |
| South Korea | Asia | Origin and destination |
| Taiwan | Asia | Origin and destination |
| Australia | Oceania | Origin and destination |
| New Zealand | Oceania | Origin and destination |
| South Africa | Africa | Origin and destination |
| Singapore | Asia | Trading, finance and destination |
| Hong Kong | Asia | Trading hub |
Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown here.
Timing
Harvest is when the material is cut or stripped at origin, which follows the dry season, the growth cycle or the felling licence period in that country. Arrival is when a shipment from that origin typically lands in a consuming market. The gap between them is seasoning, sawing or processing, the permit and phytosanitary procedure and the voyage.
HarvestArrival
| Origin | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thailand | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecThe largest exporter of sawn and processed rubber wood. Felling follows the estate replanting programme and runs through the year, with sawmilling and treatment concentrated in the south. |
| Malaysia | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecLong established furniture industry built on rubber wood, exporting sawn timber, panel and finished components year round. |
| Indonesia | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecLarge plantation base across Sumatra and Java, supplying sawn timber, panel and furniture components. |
| Vietnam | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecGrowing plantation area and a very large furniture manufacturing sector, both consuming and exporting rubber wood. |
| India | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Nov to Mar, arrival Feb to DecKerala and the northeast, with felling concentrated in the drier months and most volume consumed domestically. | ||||||
| Sri Lanka | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecEstablished plantation sector supplying sawn timber and furniture components through the year. |
| Myanmar | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest Nov to Mar, arrival Jan to AprExpanding plantation area in the south, cut in the dry season and moving largely into regional processing. | ||||||
| Cambodia | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest Nov to Mar, arrival Jan to AprYounger plantation base reaching replanting age, with material moving into Vietnamese and Thai mills. | ||||||
| China | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecHainan and Yunnan plantations, with the wood consumed by the domestic furniture and panel industry. |
| Cote d'Ivoire | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest Nov to Mar, arrival Jan to MayThe largest African rubber producer, with replanting volume beginning to reach the timber trade. | |||||
| Liberia | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest Nov to Mar, arrival Jan to MayLong established rubber estates, with replanting material moving into sawn timber. | |||||
| Nigeria | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest Nov to Mar, arrival Jan to MayPlantation replanting supplying a domestic sawn timber and furniture market. | |||||
| Brazil | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Harvest May to Sep, arrival Jun to OctSao Paulo and Mato Grosso plantations, cut in the dry season and largely consumed domestically. |
Windows outside this pattern trade on request, including term supply, forward positions and stock already seasoned and sitting in a destination warehouse.
Customs, packing and contract terms
Indicative terms for rubber wood. Tariff classification is the importer’s responsibility and limits change, so confirm both against the destination customs authority and the current regulation before you fix a contract.
- HS heading4403.49 Tropical wood in the rough, other
4407.29 Tropical wood sawn or chipped lengthwise, other - PackingSawn timber strapped in bundles by thickness and length, logs loose or on flat racks, cork in bales, bamboo and rattan in bundles. Kiln dried moisture content declared at load.
- Container loading20ft: 20 t to 25 t of sawn. 40ft is volume limited at roughly 55 to 60 cubic metres. Any wood packaging must carry an ISPM 15 heat treatment or fumigation mark.
- Contract and arbitrationATIBT contracts for tropical hardwood or the terms of the origin association, with arbitration under ATIBT rules or at the contract seat. NHLA grading rules where the destination is North America.
- Destination limitsEUDR (Regulation 2023/1115) due diligence with plot geolocation and legality evidence, US Lacey Act declaration, CITES listing for agarwood, ramin and several rosewoods, and ISPM 15 treatment marking on all wood packaging material.
Common questions
What grades of rubber wood does SIP Global trade?
We quote 49 published grades of rubber wood, including Species - Hevea brasiliensis, confirmed by the plantation record and by wood anatomy where required, Plantation status - Declared, as estate replanting, smallholder replanting, or storm and disease clearance, Form - Declared, as sawn timber, finger jointed laminated board, edge glued panel, furniture component, chip, or fibre, Sawing pattern - Declared, as through and through, plain sawn, or rip sawn to a component size, Preservative system - Declared, naming the active, the treatment method and the treatment date and Drying method - Declared, as air dried, kiln dried to a stated schedule, or a combination. Every grade is tied to a delivery point and a settlement route. Grades outside the published list are priced on request.
How is rubber wood graded?
Rubber wood is bought on the treatment and the drying before anything else, because untreated rubber wood does not survive the voyage. Every parameter names how it is measured. Preservative retention and penetration are analysed rather than declared, and the glue line specification is written into the contract for panel and finger jointed material. Grading runs on 6 systems: Species, form and identification, Grading and appearance, Dimensions and measurement, Physical and moisture condition, Legality, certification and phytosanitary status and Inspection, documentation and settlement.
Where does SIP Global trade rubber wood?
We trade rubber wood in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Cambodia and 31 further markets. Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown.
When is rubber wood harvested and when does it arrive?
Typical windows are Thailand: harvest jan to dec, arrival jan to dec; Malaysia: harvest jan to dec, arrival jan to dec; Indonesia: harvest jan to dec, arrival jan to dec; Vietnam: harvest jan to dec, arrival jan to dec; India: harvest nov to mar, arrival feb to dec. Harvest is when the lot is taken at origin, arrival is when a shipment from that origin lands in a consuming market. Windows outside this pattern, including carry, trade on request.
What is the HS code for rubber wood?
Rubber wood is normally classified under HS 4403.49 (tropical wood in the rough, other) and HS 4407.29 (tropical wood sawn or chipped lengthwise, other). The heading follows the form the goods are in at the border, and national tariffs extend it beyond six digits, so confirm the full line with the destination customs authority before you fix a contract.
How do I get a price for rubber wood?
Send the grade, the origin and the delivery window to the SIP Global desk. That is enough for a trader to come back with a level and a settlement route. 1 listed rubber wood market is published on this page, each with its full specification and terms. We take both sides, physical and financial, prompt to long dated.
Standards and data sources
The grading language on this sheet follows published standards. Trade volumes and tariff lines are public record. Verify anything here against the source.
- IPPCInternational Plant Protection Convention phytosanitary measures
- UN ComtradeOfficial international trade statistics by HS code
- ITC Trade MapBilateral trade flows and tariff data
- FAOSTATFAO production and trade series for agricultural commodities
Price this with our desk
Grade, origin and window if you have them. If what you are carrying does not fit the sheet above, describe it in your own words and a trader will take it from there.