In the present work, the mechanical properties of composites obtained by using areca fibers in epoxy matrix have been investigated. The areca fibers extracted from the areca husk are alkali-treated with potassium hydroxide to get better interfacial bonding between fibers and matrix. The test specimens are prepared with different values of weight ratio of fiber to matrix, the fibers being randomly oriented. The test specimens are cured for different periods of time to study the effect of curing time on the mechanical properties. The results of tests such as water absorption, tension, compression, bending, impact, and hardness conducted on the test specimens are herein reported. It is found that the mechanical properties of the composites tested are greatly influenced by (i) alkali treatment of fiber, (ii) weight ratio of fibermatrix, and (iii) curing time. (C) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 31: 319330, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/adv.20255