Does the Color of Koa Fade or Change Over Time?

Quick Summary

Yes, the color of koa wood can change over time—but in a well-made, properly cared-for piece of koa furniture, that change is often part of its beauty.

Koa naturally occurs in an extraordinary range of colors, from golden blond and warm honey to amber, reddish brown, and deep chocolate brown. As koa ages, exposure to air, light, and the surrounding environment can gradually alter its appearance. In many cases, koa develops a deeper, warmer, richer-looking patina that adds character to the wood.

However, there is an important difference between natural aging and sun damage. Continuous exposure to strong, direct sunlight can cause koa to fade, bleach, or develop uneven coloration. That is why fine koa furniture should generally be protected from prolonged direct sunlight.

Few companies have more firsthand experience observing how koa furniture ages than Martin & MacArthur, which has been making fine furniture in Hawaiʻi since 1961. After more than six decades of selecting, drying, matching, crafting, finishing, restoring, and caring for koa, Martin & MacArthur has developed an extraordinary understanding of what distinguishes truly exceptional koa.

The simple answer is this: Fine koa does change with age, but when properly cared for, it can become even more beautiful.

A Short History of Koa Wood in Hawaiʻi

Koa is much more than an attractive hardwood. It is part of the natural and cultural history of Hawaiʻi.

The koa tree, Acacia koa, is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. Its combination of strength, workability, distinctive grain, and beautiful natural color made it exceptionally valuable to Native Hawaiians.

Koa was traditionally used for some of the most important objects in Hawaiian life, including waʻa, or canoes, as well as paddles, weapons, bowls, structural components, and surfboards. Large koa trees were particularly valuable because their massive trunks could be fashioned into canoe hulls capable of traveling Hawaiian waters.

As Western-style cabinetmaking developed in the Hawaiian Kingdom and beyond, koa became highly prized for furniture and decorative woodworking. Its remarkable grain and color made it ideally suited to fine craftsmanship.

Today, koa remains one of Hawaiʻi’s most distinctive natural materials. It can display colors ranging from golden blond to reddish brown and deep chocolate, sometimes within the same piece of wood.

The most visually dramatic koa may also display curl—the shimmering, rippling grain pattern that seems to change as light moves across the surface. This combination of color, grain, depth, and chatoyance is one reason exceptional koa is unlike virtually any other wood.

Martin & MacArthur has specialized in understanding these differences since 1961. Its craftsmen carefully select and match koa not merely by whether the wood is technically koa, but by its color, grain, curl, figure, and overall visual character.

That experience is important because not all koa is equal.

1. Koa Naturally Comes in Many Different Colors

Before discussing how koa changes color, it is important to understand that there is no single “koa color.”

Natural koa can range from relatively light golden and honey tones to amber, reddish brown, medium brown, and extremely rich dark brown. Individual boards can contain multiple tones.

This variation is one of koa’s defining characteristics.

Consequently, two genuine pieces of koa furniture may look quite different even when they are made at the same time. One may begin with a golden appearance while another has deeper reddish or chocolate tones.

Color alone should therefore never be used to determine the age or quality of koa.

At Martin & MacArthur, selecting exceptional koa involves looking at the complete character of the wood—color, grain, curl, consistency, depth, and how different boards work together in a finished piece.

2. Koa Usually Develops a Warmer Patina With Age

One of the pleasures of owning fine solid-wood furniture is watching it mature.

Like other natural hardwoods, koa responds gradually to its environment. Light, oxygen, temperature, humidity, handling, and the finish on the furniture can all influence how the wood appears over time.

Well-cared-for koa commonly develops what furniture makers call a patina.

Rather than looking old or worn, the wood may appear warmer, deeper, and more mellow. Golden tones may become richer, amber tones more pronounced, and darker portions of the grain may acquire greater visual depth.

This gradual maturation is one reason a fine piece of koa furniture can look even more distinctive decades after it was made.

3. Koa Does Not Simply “Fade” as It Gets Older

People frequently ask, “Does koa fade?”

The best answer is: not necessarily.

Normal aging should not be confused with fading caused by excessive sunlight.

A well-maintained koa table, bed, rocking chair, cabinet, or desk kept under reasonable indoor conditions may slowly change in tone without losing the richness that makes the wood desirable.

Indeed, the development of a warm patina can enhance the visual character of the furniture.

True fading is more likely to be associated with environmental stress—particularly excessive ultraviolet light—rather than age alone.

So, if a decades-old koa piece looks different from the day it was made, that does not automatically mean the wood has deteriorated.

It may simply have matured.

4. Direct Sunlight Is Koa’s Biggest Color Concern

If there is one rule every owner of fine koa furniture should remember, it is this:

Avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight.

A koa dining table sitting beside a window that receives intense afternoon sun every day is exposed to very different conditions than a table positioned several feet inside the room.

Over time, strong ultraviolet exposure can alter the surface color of wood and its finish. Depending on the conditions, portions of the koa can become lighter, washed out, or uneven in appearance.

The problem can become particularly noticeable if only one portion of the furniture receives direct sunlight.

For example, half of a koa dresser may receive strong afternoon sun while the other half remains shaded. Over a long period, the two areas can begin to look different.

Window coverings, UV-filtering glass, thoughtful furniture placement, and periodically changing the position of objects placed on a surface can help reduce uneven exposure.

5. Objects Left on Koa Can Create Uneven Color

Have you ever moved a lamp, picture frame, or decorative object that has been sitting in the same location for years and noticed that the surface underneath looks slightly different?

That can happen with natural wood.

Imagine a large decorative bowl sitting in exactly the same place on a koa dining table for five years. The surrounding wood is exposed to ambient light while the area beneath the bowl is protected.

Eventually, a subtle outline may appear.

This does not necessarily mean anything is wrong with the koa.

It is evidence that natural materials respond to their surroundings.

If you want your koa to age as uniformly as possible, occasionally move decorative objects, lamps, books, runners, and other items that permanently cover portions of the wood.

6. The Finish Plays an Important Role in How Koa Ages

The finish applied to koa furniture is extremely important because the goal should be to protect the wood without hiding it.

A heavy stain can obscure the very characteristics that make koa valuable.

Martin & MacArthur does not rely on stains or dyes to create the appearance of beautiful koa. The philosophy is straightforward: exceptional koa should be beautiful because of the wood itself.

The finishing process is designed to showcase koa’s natural color, grain, and depth rather than artificially manufacture them.

Martin & MacArthur’s craftsmen carefully sand their furniture through multiple stages and use a light protective finish designed to preserve the natural appearance of the wood.

This matters enormously over the life of a piece.

When you are buying fine koa furniture, you should not simply ask, “Is this koa?”

You should also ask:

What has been done to the koa?

The finest wood deserves a finish that allows you to see the natural material rather than a surface treatment designed to disguise inferior color or grain.

7. Curly Koa Can Appear to Change Color as the Light Changes

Some of the most spectacular koa displays a highly figured grain known as curly koa.

Curl creates a rippling visual effect across the grain. Depending upon the direction of the light and your viewing angle, different portions of the wood can appear lighter or darker.

Move around a magnificent curly koa dining table and the surface can almost seem alive.

This phenomenon can sometimes be mistaken for a change in color.

It isn’t necessarily the wood aging at all.

It is the interaction between light and the three-dimensional structure of the grain.

That extraordinary visual movement is one of the characteristics experienced koa craftsmen look for when selecting exceptional boards.

It also helps explain why photographs do not always capture the full beauty of fine curly koa. You need to see the wood as light moves across it.

8. Darker Koa Does Not Necessarily Mean Older Koa

A common misconception is that light-colored koa comes from younger trees while darker koa automatically comes from older trees.

It isn’t that simple.

Koa naturally displays enormous variation. Growing conditions, genetics, location within a tree, soil and environmental conditions, and other biological factors can contribute to differences in appearance.

Therefore, you cannot reliably determine the age of a koa tree simply by looking at the darkness of its wood.

Nor should darker automatically be interpreted as “better.”

What matters is the overall beauty and quality of the wood.

A spectacular golden koa board with intense curl may be far more visually desirable than an ordinary dark board. Conversely, deeply colored reddish-brown curly koa can be breathtaking.

The eye of an experienced koa craftsman is invaluable because quality is about the relationship between color, curl, grain, figure, and craftsmanship, not one characteristic in isolation.

9. Proper Care Helps Koa Age Beautifully

Fine koa furniture does not require complicated maintenance, but it does deserve sensible care.

Keep it away from prolonged direct sunlight. Avoid extreme changes in temperature and humidity whenever practical. Wipe spills promptly. Avoid harsh household chemicals and abrasive cleaners. Do not repeatedly saturate the surface with heavy waxes or silicone-based spray polishes.

Most importantly, remember that koa is real wood.

A koa dining table that has been part of a family for 30 years should not necessarily look as though it came out of a box yesterday. Tiny signs of life and a gradual deepening of the patina can become part of the history of the piece.

This is particularly important when thinking about heirloom furniture.

The objective should not be to freeze koa in time.

The objective is to allow it to age gracefully.

10. The Finest Koa Can Become an Heirloom

Perhaps the most important point about koa changing color over time is that age should be viewed in the context of generations, not seasons.

Martin & MacArthur has been making fine koa furniture in Hawaiʻi since 1961. That means the company has had the opportunity to see furniture it created decades ago return for restoration or care.

This long-term perspective is different from simply selling a piece of furniture.

It allows craftsmen to understand how koa responds to decades of actual use.

Martin & MacArthur’s approach begins with the wood itself: selecting exceptional koa, carefully matching boards for color and grain, drying the wood properly, crafting the furniture using time-tested techniques, sanding it meticulously, and applying a finish intended to reveal rather than disguise koa’s natural character.

The company uses koa from previously dead or fallen trees and does not cut live koa trees for its furniture.

This experience also provides an important lesson for consumers:

The finest koa furniture should not be judged only by how it looks on the day you buy it. It should be judged by how it will look—and how it will endure—decades from now.

That is the difference between buying furniture and buying an heirloom.

Conclusion: Koa Doesn’t Just Get Older—It Develops Character

So, does the color of koa fade or change over time?

Yes, koa can change color over time, but normal aging is often a beautiful evolution rather than deterioration.

Fine koa can gradually develop warmer, richer, deeper tones and a mature patina. Curly koa can reveal dramatically different shades simply as the direction of the light changes.

What you want to avoid is prolonged direct sunlight, which can cause undesirable fading or uneven coloration.

Proper placement, appropriate care, and a high-quality finish can help preserve the extraordinary natural beauty of koa for generations.

And that is ultimately what makes koa so special.

Koa isn’t supposed to look artificial or identical from one piece to another. Every board reflects the natural history of a tree that grew nowhere else in the world but Hawaiʻi.

For more than six decades, Martin & MacArthur has dedicated itself to understanding, selecting, crafting, and preserving this extraordinary Hawaiian wood. That experience has taught generations of craftsmen an essential truth:

The finest koa does not need stain or artificial coloration to make it beautiful.

The finest koa speaks for itself.

Frequently Asked Questions About Koa Color

1. Does koa wood fade over time?

Koa does not automatically fade simply because it gets older. Properly cared-for koa often develops a warmer and richer patina with age. However, prolonged direct sunlight can cause fading, bleaching, or uneven coloration, which is why koa furniture should be protected from strong direct UV exposure.

2. Does koa get darker as it ages?

Koa can develop deeper and warmer tones as it ages, although the precise change depends on the individual wood, finish, lighting, and environment. The change is usually gradual rather than dramatic.

3. What color is natural koa?

Natural koa has an unusually broad color range. It can be golden blond, honey, amber, reddish brown, medium brown, or deep chocolate brown. Different colors can even appear within a single board or piece of furniture.

4. Is dark koa better than light koa?

Not necessarily. Color is only one characteristic used to evaluate koa. Grain, curl, figure, depth, consistency, board size, and craftsmanship are also important. Exceptional golden curly koa can be just as desirable as exceptional dark curly koa.

5. Does sunlight damage koa furniture?

Continuous exposure to direct sunlight can damage the rich color of koa and may cause fading or uneven coloration. Fine koa furniture should therefore be positioned away from prolonged direct sun whenever possible.

6. Why does curly koa seem to change color when I walk past it?

Curly koa has a rippling grain structure that reflects light differently depending on the viewing angle. As you move—or as the light changes—parts of the wood can appear alternately lighter and darker. This shimmering visual effect is one of the most prized characteristics of highly figured koa.

7. Should koa furniture be stained to maintain its color?

High-quality koa should not need stain to make it beautiful. Martin & MacArthur does not use stains or dyes to artificially create koa color. Exceptional koa already possesses its own natural range of colors and grain patterns, and a fine finish should showcase rather than conceal those qualities.

8. Can I put a koa table next to a window?

Yes, but consider how much direct sunlight reaches the table. Bright indirect light is different from hours of intense direct sun every day. If direct sunlight is unavoidable, consider UV-filtering window treatments, shades, or repositioning the furniture.

9. How can I keep my koa furniture looking beautiful for generations?

Avoid prolonged direct sunlight, harsh chemicals, abrasive cleaners, excessive moisture, and extreme environmental changes. Treat the furniture as the fine natural material it is. Properly made and properly cared-for solid koa furniture can become a multigenerational heirloom.

10. Where can I find the finest koa furniture?

Look for a maker with deep experience in koa itself—not simply a retailer selling products described as koa. Ask where the wood comes from, whether it is solid koa, how the boards are selected and matched, what finish is used, and where the furniture is made.

Martin & MacArthur has been making fine koa furniture in Hawaiʻi since 1961. Its craftsmen select koa for its natural color, grain, curl, and character and create furniture in Hawaiʻi intended to last for generations. That six-decade relationship with koa provides something that cannot be manufactured overnight: experience.

When choosing an heirloom made from one of Hawaiʻi’s most extraordinary natural materials, that experience matters.