What is sheesham wood?
The Wood Guide · The wood register
Tropical broadleaf wood · referenceSheesham
Indian rosewood: hard, warm and so vividly figured that no two boards look alike. For generations the classic for solid indoor furniture.
- Dalbergia sissoo
- 770–830 kg/m³ · Janka 4,930 N
- An indoor wood, not an outdoor wood
SheeshamDalbergia sissoo
Not just any “rosewood”
Sheesham belongs to the same genus as Brazilian and Burmese rosewood, but they are separate species — each with its own properties, availability and trade rules.
Click a chapter or use the arrows · every board is drawn separately: here too, no two are alike.
Sheesham is not just any "rosewood"
The name often turns up alongside rosewood, and that leads to confusion that can sometimes prove costly.
Sheesham (Dalbergia sissoo) belongs to the same genus as Brazilian rosewood (Dalbergia nigra) and Burmese rosewood, but they are separate species, each with its own properties, availability and regulations. If you buy "rosewood", you need to know which rosewood — the difference in price and in trade rules is considerable.
From the Indian subcontinent
Sheesham is a broadleaf tree from the pea family, native from Pakistan and India to Nepal and Bangladesh. It thrives in a subtropical climate with 500 to 2,000 millimetres of rainfall a year.
- Height
- 25 to 30 metres in good conditions
- Trunk diameter
- up to 2–3 metres in mature trees
- Growth rate
- 0.8 to 1.2 metres a year — moderate to fast
- Service life
- 150 to 200 years, sometimes 300
- Leaves
- pinnate, with 3 to 5 leaflets, green to blue-green
As a member of the pea family, sheesham fixes nitrogen in the soil, which benefits soil quality. And because the species matures relatively quickly compared with other fine hardwoods, plantation growing is more scalable here than with species that take fifty years or more.
Physical and mechanical properties
Values vary with growing site and climate; these are the usual figures.
| Property | Value | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Density (air-dry) | 770–830 kg/m³ | Hardwood — medium to heavy |
| Hardness (Janka) | 4,930 N | Hard |
| Bending strength | 97–103 MPa | Very good |
| Modulus of elasticity | 11,500–12,800 MPa | Excellent |
| Compressive strength | 52–58 MPa | High |
How to recognise sheesham
Colour with contrast
From golden brown to almost black within the same board, with dark veins running criss-cross through the wood. Two identical boards do not exist.
Dense structure
Heavy in the hand, with a fine, dense structure that polishes beautifully.
Scent
Freshly worked sheesham has a light, spicy scent — a family trait of the Dalbergiaspecies.
What sheesham is used for
Almost always indoors — and that is no coincidence.
Solid furniture
The main use: cabinets, tables, sideboards and beds. The hardness and the figure make every piece unique.
Turning and carving
The dense structure allows fine detail work and polishes to a deep sheen.
Musical instruments
As a Dalbergia sheesham shares properties with the classic tonewoods.
Indoor flooring
Possible thanks to its hardness, although the strong colour variation is not to everyone's taste on a large surface.
Sheesham is hard, but its natural resistance to rot does not reach the level of teak. For garden furniture, choose a species in durability class 1 or 2 — see our hardwood guide.
Maintaining sheesham
Little work, but consistent — solid hardwood indoors reacts to the air in your home.
Dusting
A dry or slightly damp cloth is enough. No harsh cleaning products.
Feed it periodically
A suitable furniture oil or wax keeps the wood nourished and the colour deep.
Away from heat
Not right next to a radiator or in full sun: extreme dryness makes solid wood shrink and crack.
Keep humidity stable
A relative humidity between 40 and 60% is ideal — the same advice as for oak and pine indoors.
Frequently asked questions about sheesham
Is sheesham the same as rosewood?
Not exactly. Sheesham (Dalbergia sissoo) belongs to the same genus as Brazilian rosewood (Dalbergia nigra) and Burmese rosewood, but they are separate species with their own properties, availability and trade rules.
Can sheesham be used outdoors?
Better not. Sheesham is first and foremost an indoor wood for solid furniture. For outdoors, choose a species with a higher natural durability class, such as teak.
Why does every board differ in colour?
That is exactly the character of this species: the colour runs from golden brown to almost black, with dark veins running criss-cross through the board. Two identical boards do not exist — some find that its charm, others are looking for something calmer.
How do I maintain sheesham furniture?
Dust with a dry or slightly damp cloth, and feed it periodically with a suitable furniture oil or wax. Keep it away from radiators and direct sunlight.
Do you sell sheesham furniture?
No. Our range consists of garden furniture in pressure-treated softwood, Douglas fir, teak and other hardwoods, plus interior. Sheesham is here as reference — you often come across it in solid indoor furniture.
Sheesham in perspective
Sheesham is a reference species in our register — wood we do not work with ourselves, but do know.
Have a question about your project? Just ask — we're happy to help.
Dalbergia sissoo — Andy king50, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Photo via Wikimedia Commons: Dalbergia sissoo — Khalid Mahmood, CC BY-SA 3.0