Monkey Pod WoodLove our Surin furniture collection? Here’s an informative guide to the intriguing dual toned wood that’s so popular in this range.
Also known as acacia, monkey pod wood is named after the monkeys that gather below its canopy and eat the seed pods of the tree. The tree is fast growing, it can grow about 1.5m a year up to a maximum of 24m tall and it can have a canopy reaching as large as 60m! Being so fast-growing it’s a very sustainable hardwood and is ideal for furniture manufacture. The straight grain and coarse texture allow it to be easily carved into varied shapes… perfect for items such as our Surin Forest Table or the popular Surin Elephant Ride Table. The trees were originally planted to shade open areas such as parks and also to offer shade to crops in the hot tropical sun.
Surin Furniture Production
The production of our Surin furniture differs significantly from our sheesham and mango wood collections. Hand carved in Thailand, the skills carving and woodwork are passed down through generations and small family units generally work together, specialising in one or two designs only.
Small, fair trade suppliers provide the families with wood which is normally harvested from older trees on managed plantations. The wood then needs to be dried enough to carve which can sometimes take a number of weeks. Then once they have worked their skilful magic, the carved table is left to dry again, sometimes in kilns although most are left to dry naturally in the sun. While this improves the environmental credentials of the finished item, it can take some time being weather dependent and much like in the UK, the Thai seasons can vary from ‘hot and dry’ to ‘rainy and mild’! From start to finish, this manufacture process can take up to four months. Once complete, the furniture is hand waxed to bring out its natural lustre and to highlight the varied grain and two-tone colours of the timber, before being packed for shipping to Myakka HQ warehouse.
Caring for your Surin Furniture
Despite the manufacturing process being different for our Surin furniture range, care guidelines are very similar to our sheesham and mango collections. To enjoy years of use and service from your furniture, we recommend just a few simple tips:
- Wax occasionally: We recommend Mylands Clear Wax which helps protect, develop and deepen the lustre of the grain. We also recommend avoiding silicon-based polish sprays as they block the natural pores of the wood and prevents it from breathing.
- Avoid direct sunlight: As with any solid wood item avoid direct sunlight or heat sources as they may cause movement or cracking of the wood.
- Use mats & coasters: Heat and liquids will cause a bloom or ring marks. Keep a supply of coasters handy – we have some in our accessories collection.
- Ring mark? Click here to watch our short video showing you how to remove it in moments.
- Use felt pads: As some small amount of moisture may remain in these products, we would recommend the use of felt pads to allow ventilation around the base.
Enjoy the artistic originality of our Surin furniture, every piece is unique and no two will ever be the same, each enjoying slightly different grain, carving and colour. By its very nature, the manufacturing process can take a little longer but we hope you’ll agree, the end result will be worth the wait!
