Question from Bonnie Johnson

Hi Debra,

I have been shopping for a new coffee table for my living room. I have noticed a lot of furniture made with mango woods. They are sold at Pier 1 and Cost Plus etc. Are they safe?

Debra’s Answer

Mango woods a new “sustainable” choice for furniture, as an alternative to traditional woods like oak and maple.

Mango trees are abundant in India, Southeast Asia, Mexico, Brazil and Australia, where mango is a popular fruit. In fact, mangoes are actually the most popular fruit in the world. I love them and often eat them myself.

Mango wood is the byproduct of an already thriving industry,

Once the trees get too tall to easily harvest the fruit, or stop bearing fruit altogether, they are harvested for timber and a new generation of trees is planted.

Harvesting wood that was previously burnt or left to break down naturally provides extra income to mango farmers, and gives furniture manufacturers an affordable hardwood that has the strength to bear weight needed for tables and chairs, yet is soft enough to work with easily.

Mango wood also happens to be water resistant.

It requires monthly polishing to avoid cracking due to dehydration.

Some natural ways to protect your mango wood.

Apparently mango wood is other [chemically treated before furniture manufacturing to prevent fungus attack]. Chromiated Copper Arsenate (CCA) and Copper Come Boron (CCB) wood preservatives are used, CB being less toxic.

It’s likely virtually all mango wood is treated and unlikely that they will tell you this at the point of sale.

However, these preservatives are not volatile and the particles could be contained with several coats of a toxic-free wood finish.

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