Softwood that performs like a tropical hardwood
Kebony starts with fast-growing, FSC-certified pine and impregnates it with furfuryl alcohol, a bio-based liquid that Kebony produces from agricultural crop waste. Curing bonds it into the wood's cell walls, which turns a softwood that would rot outdoors into a dense, dark board with the decay resistance people used to buy ipe for. Kebony warrants the decking against rot for 30 years, with no finish required to keep that warranty.
Clear or Character
Kebony Clear, this page, is made from radiata pine and is knot free, with a fine, straight grain. Kebony Character is made from Scots pine and shows its knots for a more rustic deck. Both get the same treatment. Ask for samples of each.
How it ages
New Kebony is a rich, even brown. Left unfinished outdoors, it weathers to a silver-gray patina over the first seasons, the way cedar and ipe do. That is a surface color change, not decay. If you want to keep the brown, it can be oiled periodically; the warranty does not require it.
Why it is on our eco decking page
The attributes are specific: the wood is FSC certified, the board contains no plastic, and the modifying liquid is made from crop waste, per Kebony. For a client who wants a real wood deck without tropical hardwood or pressure-treated pine, it is the board we suggest first. Compare it with Accoya and Thermory ash on the eco decking page.
Installation
Kebony is installed like a quality hardwood deck: stainless steel screws or Kebony-approved hidden clips, joist spacing from Kebony's installation guide, and pre-drilling near board ends. See deck installation.
Common questions
Is Kebony treated with chemicals?
Kebony is modified with furfuryl alcohol, which Kebony makes from agricultural crop waste, then cured so it becomes part of the wood. It is not pressure treated with copper-based preservatives, and the finished board contains no plastic.
Does Kebony decking turn gray?
Yes, if it is left unfinished outdoors it weathers to a silver-gray patina. Periodic oiling keeps more of the original brown. The 30-year rot warranty does not require any finish.
Where these facts come from
- Kebony USA decking product pages and Product Guide: species, modification, FSC, warranty, weathering, code compliance
- Kebony decking listings (authorized distributors): actual dimensions and edge profiles
Specifications can change. We confirm them against the current manufacturer data sheet on every order.
