Home / Wood Compare / Balau vs Garapa
Professional Comparison · Verified Engineering Data · Updated 19 July 2026
Balau VS Garapa
Which wood is better for your project? Scores are computed from the verified figures on each species page — how we score.
Verdict: near-tie. The right choice depends on the application — see winner by category below.
🥇
Balau
81/100 Library Score
🪵Hardwood🌧Outdoor💧Moisture Stable
- Leads on stiffness, bending strength, hardness — a narrow but consistent edge
🥈
Garapa
79/100 Library Score
🪵Hardwood🌧Outdoor💧Moisture Stable
- Lighter (0.72 vs 0.78 g/cm³)
- Solid choice where its profile fits the project
Visual comparison
BalauGarapa
Winner by category
There isn't one universally best wood — there's a best wood for each purpose.
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Durability | Tie |
| Stability | Tie |
| Hardness | Balau |
| Strength (MOR) | Balau |
| Stiffness (MOE) | Balau |
| Flame spread | Tie |
| Machining ease | Garapa |
| Lightness | Garapa |
Engineering data
| Property | Balau | Garapa |
|---|---|---|
| Janka Hardness | 1700WD lbf | 1650WD lbf |
| Density | 0.78FPL g/cm³ | 0.72WD g/cm³ |
| MOE | 18.0FPL GPa | 15.57WD GPa |
| MOR | 138.0FPL MPa | 127.8WD MPa |
| Durability | Class 2 Durable | Class 2 Durable |
| Stability | Good | Good |
| Fire (E84) | Class B indicative | Class B indicative |
| Radial Shrink | 3.5WD % | 4.2WD % |
| Tangential Shrink | 6.5WD % | 7.5WD % |
| T/R Ratio | 1.86 | 1.79 |
Figures carry the same source status as the species pages they come from — verified where cited, indicative where marked.
Best for
| Application | Recommended | Suitability |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor decking / pergola | 🥇 Balau | ★★★★☆ |
| Exterior cladding | 🥇 Garapa | ★★★☆☆ |
| Flooring / wear surfaces | 🥇 Balau | ★★★★☆ |
| Furniture / interior joinery | 🥇 Garapa | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Structural / load-bearing | 🥇 Balau | ★★★★☆ |
Advantages & limitations
Balau
Advantages
- Rated for exterior exposure (EN 350 Class 2)
Limitations
- Hard on tooling; pre-drilling recommended
- Heavy — consider structure and handling
Garapa
Advantages
- Rated for exterior exposure (EN 350 Class 2)
Limitations
- Hard on tooling; pre-drilling recommended
- Heavy — consider structure and handling
Recommendation
Choose Balau if…
- You want the stronger all-round engineering profile
Choose Garapa if…
- Weight matters — ceilings, wall panels, transport
- Its profile matches the application better than a single overall score
Frequently asked questions
Which is more durable, Balau or Garapa?
Neither — both carry the same EN 350 rating (Class 2, Durable). For outdoor decisions between them, weigh dimensional stability and hardness instead.
Which wood is better for outdoor use?
They are closely matched outdoors — durability and stability come out almost level. Let the application decide: harder surface for decking traffic, lighter weight for cladding.
Is Balau harder than Garapa?
Yes — Janka 1700 lbf vs 1650 lbf.
How we score. Each wood gets a weighted composite of the verified figures shown above: durability 22%, stability 18%, hardness 12%, bending strength 12%, machining ease 12%, stiffness 8%, flame spread 8%, lightness 8%. The Library Score is that composite's percentile rank within our 60-species library — 50 means the library median, 90 means it outperforms nine of every ten species we cover. No price data is scored — cost guidance is qualitative. The score summarises the data; it does not replace judgement about your specific application.