You have seen it on a hundred Australian decks. A deep red-brown timber setting that mellows to warm honey over a summer, and a rust-coloured stain fanning out across the pavers underneath it. That timber is almost always kwila, and kwila outdoor furniture is one of the most common hardwood choices in the country. It is also the one that generates the most questions at our end of the phone.
This guide explains what kwila actually is and how it stacks up against teak on price, upkeep and looks. It also covers the tannin bleed that catches so many people out in their first autumn. It is written for anyone weighing up a timber piece for a deck, a verandah or one of our balcony furniture sets.
What kwila is (and why you will also see it called merbau)
Kwila and merbau are the same timber. Botanically it is Intsia bijuga, a dense tropical hardwood grown across South-East Asia and the Pacific. Australian timber merchants tend to say merbau when they are selling decking boards, and furniture retailers tend to say kwila. If you have merbau decking and you buy a kwila setting, you are putting the same species on top of itself.
The appeal is straightforward. Kwila is heavy, hard and naturally durable outdoors, which is what you want from furniture that lives in the weather. Fresh from the box it is a rich reddish-brown. Left in full sun it lightens over the first season, then drifts towards a soft silver-grey the way most untreated hardwoods do.
The classic example is the Jack and Jill: two seats with a small table built between them and a shelf underneath. Our Kwila Jack and Jill ($862) is made from Indonesian kwila and measures W 157cm x D 65cm, so it wants a clear run of wall rather than a corner.
Kwila outdoor furniture vs teak: the honest comparison
Teak is the other tropical hardwood you will be shown, and the two are genuinely close. Both are dense, both handle rain and UV without drama, and both will silver if left alone. The differences are in colour, price and how much fuss they make in the first month.
The cleanest way to see it is to compare the same piece in both timbers. Our Teak Jack and Jill ($926) is the teak version of the setting above: hand made, W 153cm x D 74cm, from 100% FSC certified plantation Indonesian teak. That is $64 more than the kwila, for a deeper seat and a documented plantation source.
| Factor | Kwila (merbau) | Teak |
|---|---|---|
| Starting colour | Deep reddish-brown | Warm golden-honey |
| Left untreated | Lightens, then silvers | Ages to a silvery-grey sheen |
| Tannin bleed when new | Pronounced, bleed it first | Minor surface weeping at most |
| Our Jack and Jill | $862 | $926 |
| Sourcing on the product page | Indonesian kwila | 100% FSC certified plantation |
| Best for | Rich colour, hard-wearing value | Documented sourcing, honey tone |
Neither is the wrong answer. If you want the red-brown look and the lower price, kwila earns its place. If certified plantation sourcing matters to you, teak carries that claim in writing.
Tannin bleed: the thing nobody warns you about
Here is the one genuine catch with kwila. The timber carries a heavy load of natural tannins and oils, and when a new piece gets wet those tannins leach out and run. On grass they vanish. On light pavers, sandstone, rendered walls or a fresh concrete slab they leave a rust-red stain that is a nuisance to shift later.
The fix is simple, and it is a one-time job. Before the furniture goes anywhere near your paving, sit it on the lawn and wet it down thoroughly. Repeat over a few days until the run-off stops coming out coloured. That is what the trade calls bleeding the timber, and both our kwila pieces carry that instruction on the product page.
If a mark does land on paving, scrub it with a mild bleach solution as soon as you spot it. Fresh stains lift; ones left through a wet fortnight fight back. Smaller pieces are easier to manage, which is one reason the Kwila Coffee Table ($660) is a sensible first kwila purchase. At L 90 x W 61 x H 45cm it is light enough to carry onto the grass on your own. You will find it alongside the rest of our outdoor coffee tables.
Oiling, greying and the Australian care calendar
Once the bleeding is done, kwila is undemanding. You have the same two roads teak gives you. Oil it every six to twelve months to hold the colour, or wash it once or twice a year and let it silver. The trap is making that choice by accident, then deciding two years later that you wanted the other one.
May is the right month to settle it in most of the country. The heat has gone out of the sun, so oil cures without going tacky, and you get ahead of the wet months. In Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, one autumn oiling carries a piece through winter. In Brisbane and along the northern coast, humidity and year-round UV usually push you to twice a year. Our guide to whether you should oil teak or let it go silver walks through both routines in detail.
Whichever you choose, skip the pressure washer. It tears the soft grain out of hardwood and leaves the surface furry. Warm soapy water, a soft brush and a rinse along the grain is the whole job. If you cover timber over winter, make sure the piece is bone dry first, and use a breathable outdoor furniture cover rather than a tarp, which traps condensation and invites mould.
Sustainability: what you can actually check
Tropical hardwood sourcing is a fair question, and it deserves a straight answer. Certification is the part a buyer can verify, so treat the product page as the source of truth. Our teak Jack and Jill and teak coffee table are both listed as 100% FSC certified plantation Indonesian teak. Our kwila pieces are listed as Indonesian kwila, with no certification claim attached.
That is not a reason to avoid kwila. It is a reason to ask, on any timber furniture from any retailer, what the listing actually says rather than what the timber is generally assumed to be. If certified sourcing is a firm requirement, buy the piece that carries the certification in writing. Otherwise, weigh it against price, colour and how long the piece will last.
Kwila outdoor furniture — frequently asked questions
Is kwila the same as merbau?
Yes, kwila and merbau are two names for the same species, Intsia bijuga. The merbau name is more common in decking, while kwila is used more often for furniture. There is no difference in the timber itself.
How do I stop kwila staining my pavers?
Bleed the furniture on grass before it touches paving. Wet the piece down thoroughly on the lawn and repeat over several days until the run-off stops running red, then move it into position. If a stain does appear, scrub it with a mild bleach solution straight away.
Does kwila need oiling?
No, oiling is optional. Untreated kwila lightens and then silvers without losing structural soundness, so oiling is about colour rather than protection. If you want to hold the red-brown tone, plan on a coat every six to twelve months.
Will kwila furniture fade in the Australian sun?
Yes, and faster than most people expect. The rich red-brown lightens noticeably over the first summer, particularly in Queensland and Western Australia. Regular oiling slows it down, and doing nothing takes you to an even silver-grey.
Shop the range
If you are choosing between the two timbers, look at the same piece in both before you decide, because colour is usually what settles it. Our balcony sets cover both, and the Teak Coffee Table ($455) is a low-cost way to test how teak looks against your paving before committing to a full setting. We deliver Australia-wide, delivery is free on orders over $100, and most orders are dispatched within 3 to 10 business days.
