[1] Rubberwood is commonly advertised as an "environmentally friendly" wood, as it makes use of plantation trees that have already served a useful function.
[5] Although it had been used on a small scale before, its use for furniture making has become much more common in the late 20th and early 21st century with the development of chemical treatments to protect the wood against fungal and insect attacks.
Currently, rubber plantation trees are generally harvested for wood after they complete the latex producing cycle, when they are 25 to 30 years old.
Part of the industry adoption of rubberwood was an international campaign to avoid use of a previously used light straight-grained wood which was harvested from South East Asia's endangered wetland ramin (Gonystylus).
Rubberwood is generally treated soon after sawing by pressurized immersion in boron preservative solution to diffuse the chemicals.