1. Appearance & Colour

• Yellow Balau: A dense hardwood with a natural golden-brown to deep honey colour that weathers beautifully to a silver-grey if left untreated. Its fine, uniform grain and consistent tones make it a favourite for clean, modern designs.
• Jatoba: Also known as Brazilian Cherry (when referring to indoor flooring), Jatoba is a striking reddish-brown hardwood with warm pinkish or orange undertones. Over time, if left untreated, it forms a stunning silver-grey patina. Its bold colour variation makes it ideal for homeowners who want their decking to stand out.

Yellow Balau for natural consistency, Jatoba for bold, statement-making colour.

2. Durability & Lifespan

• Yellow Balau: Known for its strength and density, Yellow Balau is highly resistant to decay, insects, and weathering. With proper maintenance, it can last 30+ years outdoors.
• Jatoba: One of the hardest timbers available, Jatoba is exceptionally strong and long-lasting. It’s resistant to scratches, heavy foot traffic, and moisture, making it a brilliant option for high-use decking.

Both are extremely durable, but Jatoba edges ahead if you want maximum hardness.

3. Stability & Movement

• Yellow Balau: Performs very well in the UK climate, but as with most dense tropical timbers, it can experience some movement if not properly acclimatised and installed with care.
• Jatoba: A stable material, but benefits from acclimatisation before fitting to reduce shrinkage after installation. Using hidden fix systems can improve stability and appearance.

Both Yellow Balau and Jatoba offer high stability, especially when properly acclimatised and installed.

4. Workability

• Yellow Balau: Dense but still relatively straightforward to cut, drill, and fix with good-quality tools. Its fine grain makes it less prone to splitting, which helps during installation.
• Jatoba: Due to its hardness, it can be more challenging for less experienced installers, especially using hidden fixings to install. But once in place, it creates one of the toughest decking surfaces available.

Yellow Balau is sightly more favoured for ease of installation, Jatoba if you’re prepared to put in the extra work for a superior end result.

5. Maintenance

• Yellow Balau: Benefits from regular oiling with UV-protective treatments to preserve its golden-brown tones, otherwise it will weather to a silver-grey.
• Jatoba: Oiling or a protective finish will maintain its rich colour and reduce surface checking. Without maintenance, this timber will also weather to a silver-grey.

Both can be left untreated but need maintenance if you want to preserve the natural colour, and a regular clean to prevent surface mildew.

6. Sustainability

• Yellow Balau: Responsibly sourced from Indonesia and supplied as either FSC® certified or SVLK certified, ensuring the timber is harvested legally and sustainably.
• Jatoba: Available as FSC® certified hardwood, meaning it comes from responsibly managed forests that meet strict environmental and social standards.

Both options are excellent sustainable choices with proper certification to provide peace of mind.

7. Price & Value

• Yellow Balau: A cost-effective hardwood decking option, offering excellent durability at a mid-range price point.
• Jatoba: Jatoba is priced slightly higher than Yellow Balau but still serves as a budget-friendly alternative to more premium options like Ipe.

Yellow Balau takes the win for affordability, but both are priced in the mid-range section, providing excellent value and quality alternatives to more premium-priced materials.

Which Should You Choose?

Both timbers are available at Southgate Timber, and whichever you choose, you’ll be investing in a hardwood decking that will transform your outdoor space for decades to come. Explore our range of Yellow Balau decking and Jatoba decking today or get in touch with our team for expert advice.