About Black Locust

Black Locust (Robinia Pseudoacacia) is the strongest and most rot resistant wood indigenous to North America. It makes an incredibly resilient and durable decking material that will remain beautiful and withstand years of outdoor exposure.

Nothing beats Black Locust for sustainability and durability. The wood is naturally rot-, decay-, mildew-, and insect-resistant — the perfect choice for outdoor projects in all climates. Other decking options are potentially hazardous and require significant use of energy, such as chemically-treated pine, heat-treated woods, and synthetically-developed composite decking materials made from plastics.

Building with Black Locust is also a sound environmental choice. Black Locust grows faster than any other known hardwood tree. Unlike Brazilian Ipe, Black Locust does not contribute to tropical deforestation.  Black Locust is also known as false acacia, or Chinese teak (due to its resemblance to teak).

Black Locust trees grow to a harvestable height in 20 to 30 years, compared to hundreds of years for other hardwood species. And, because it’s self-propagating with underground shoots, dense plantings of Black Locust are quickly and easily replenished, contributing to its long-term sustainability. Because of its exceptional reforesting characteristics, Black Locust is used in land reclamation projects around the world. Demolished coal mines and industrial sites have been successfully planted with Black Locust, making wasteland productive once again. In fact, it grows so quickly, some locations have termed it an “invasive” species.

There are only three trees in the USA that produce extremely rot and insect resistant wood, and the Black Locust tree is the only one that grows tall and straight enough to produce consistent lumber. The beauty of the wood is spectacular. It is tightly grained with detailed characteristics that create a luxury decking experience. When first installed, Black Locust will have a yellow to light brown appearance. It can be stained to enhance its natural color or darkened, depending on the needs of the project. If untreated, the wood will achieve a silvery patina color. Black Locust decking has a wonderfully smooth and cool feel under foot; its lighter natural color does not retain excess heat the way darker woods do.

Black Locust was a widely used lumber material in the early history of the United States, beginning in the 1600’s with the construction of Jamestown. It was also used to build U.S. naval ships during the War of 1812. By 1900, over-harvesting dwindled the supply and attention turned to other, more industrial building materials. Black Locust, however, went on to become the first North American tree species to be cultivated in Europe. It is now thriving again in the United States, as well as in many parts of Europe and Asia.

The finished lumber from Black Locust trees is beautiful, naturally rot resistant, and strong, making it the optimal choice for any outdoor decking or boardwalk project. Many commercial projects are now using Black Locust, including the Brooklyn Children’s Museum and many municipal boardwalks.

On top of its strength, beauty and environmental benefits, Black Locust, when properly maintained, can last a lifetime, making it the most cost-effective decking material available. Robi Decking® was created to reintroduce Black Locust and other sustainable wood products to the residential and commercial building markets. Check out our comparison table to see how Black Locust stacks up to popular competition. Also, feel free to request a free sample or contact us for additional information.

Carpenter Bees are a major issue every spring and the issue is moving North each year. They mow through composites like Trex and Pressure Treated Pine (PT) and Western Red Cedar, too. Only dangerous chemical pesticides will kill them.

Carpenter Bees drill perfectly round holes through wood, so as to plant larva inside the decking and posts. Sometimes these larva hatch, but more often than not, woodpeckers dig the larva out as food, creating even bigger holes, often causing structural issues in the process.

Black Locust is one of the hardest, strongest, and most insect-resistant woods on Earth. Its natural characteristics make it impervious to Carpenter Bees, even without stains or insecticides. As Carpenter Bees take over North America, look to Black Locust (as well as Sassafras) for Decking, Posts, Siding, Fascia and Soffit Boards.