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slammin said..
I have a merbau/kwila deck...... & no it's not very environmentally friendly but...them's the choices.
Actually a good amount of merbau/kwila is sourced in a good way.....Its not a abundant tree in the rain forest, favouring micro climates, therefore in well managed areas it is taken selectively with minimal impact.....but of course that does not exclude the wholesale clear felling that the unscrupulous loggers get up to (Malaysian interests?).
yes it does leach tannins initially...if you clean them up promptly no great problem. After that the tannin's protect the wood from weathering... you really don't need to touch it after the initial oxidation.
Marine worms in the tropics will bore though most wood in a short time.....they will not touch Kwila.