Coconut wood is one of the fastest growing wood species on the planet and is reminiscent in appearance to mahogany, however, coconut timber has a much more fibrous grain than mahogany and lacks the same level of hardness. Color tones and hues range from golden to near ebony, with dark brown flecks. There are three basic color divisions relating to the timber's density: dark brown tones (high density); medium brown tones (medium density); and light golden tones (low density).

Coconut trees have no annual growth rings, rays, heartwood or branches, meaning that coconut timber is free from knots and other such imperfections.

Coconut wood is often used for flooring and sidings and even so often mistaken for a hardwood, which isn't. Coconut wood is a softwood. We call it the "upside down wood". While all trees have a core called "heartwood" which is the most dense and most durable part of a tree, Coconut wood is just the other way around and has its most dense part at the outer rings of the tree, where you would expect the sap wood (the softest part of a tree).

Coconut wood is extremely susceptible to termite attacks and should therefore ALWAYS be protected by either an application of a regularly maintained anti-termite treatment and/or a <termimesh> system. If Coconut flooring is used, it is strongly advised to elevate the house from natural grade by at least a distance sufficient to crawl under as to be able to inspect the bottom of the flooring for the existence of termites. It has been reported that Coconut flooring which was close to natural grade was devoured within a time span of months by termites without being noticed, as they attack from the bottom. The very moment that you will realize that your Coconut floor has almost been eaten away is the moment that you are crashing down the heavily damaged boards.