Sheesham wood furniture — the solid Indian rosewood buyers specify by name.
Sheesham (Dalbergia sissoo) is the dense, golden-to-chocolate hardwood at the heart of Jodhpur's furniture trade. We manufacture it into dining, bedroom and living ranges — kiln-dried, properly finished, and shipped with the CITES, Vriksh and FSC documentation serious importers need.
Indian rosewood, grown and worked where furniture-making is a trade, not a trend.
Sheesham — also called shisham or Indian rosewood — is the timber of the tree Dalbergia sissoo, grown across the plains and foothills of northern India. It is the wood Jodhpur's craftspeople have turned, carved and jointed for generations, and the reason the city became the recognised global hub for solid-wood furniture. Its interlocked grain, natural oils and sheer density make it a furniture-grade hardwood that performs as well as it looks.
Why sheesham earns its place in solid-wood ranges.
A quick-reference profile for buyers specifying timber, briefing a QC team, or writing their own product copy.
| Attribute | Sheesham (Dalbergia sissoo) |
|---|---|
| Common names | Sheesham, shisham, Indian rosewood |
| Botanical name | Dalbergia sissoo |
| Type | Dense tropical hardwood |
| Colour | Golden brown to deep chocolate, often with darker streaking; deepens with age |
| Grain & texture | Interlocked, often wavy grain; medium-to-coarse texture; strong figure, every piece unique |
| Hardness & density | Hard and heavy — resists denting, holds joinery and carving |
| Durability | Long-life indoor furniture wood; naturally oily and robust; decades of service when well dried |
| Workability | Takes turning, carving and CNC machining well; finishes to a fine polish |
| Finishes | Natural oil, wax, matt or satin lacquer, light or dark stain, distressed; CARB / TSCA-compliant finishes available |
| Best uses | Dining, bedroom, living and office furniture; wood-and-iron industrial pieces; carved and turned work |
| Legality status | Listed Dalbergia species — CITES-governed; we supply with documented legal sourcing |
Character you can sell — and finish to your market.
Distinctive grain
Sheesham's interlocked, often wavy grain and darker streaking give every board a signature figure. It reads unmistakably as genuine solid wood on a retail floor — not veneer, not print — which is exactly what buyers of premium case goods want.
A finish for every channel
Natural oil and wax for a warm matt look, satin or matt lacquer for durability, light or dark stains, and distressed or rustic treatments. We use CARB / TSCA-compliant, low-formaldehyde finishes so pieces clear US and EU norms.
Kiln-dried for stability
Movement comes from moisture, not the species. We kiln-dry sheesham to furniture-grade moisture levels before machining, so tops stay flat, joints stay tight and your containers arrive stable across climates.
How sheesham compares to mango, acacia & teak.
There is no single "best" wood — there is the right wood for your product, price point and market. Sheesham is the dense, strongly-grained indoor hardwood that anchors most of our furniture. Mango offers lighter weight and paler figure at keen value; acacia brings comparable hardness with a different look; teak leads on natural oil and weather resistance at a premium.
| Wood | Character & best fit |
|---|---|
| Sheesham | Hard, dense, strong dark grain — benchmark indoor solid-wood furniture |
| Mango | Lighter, paler, pronounced value — high-volume case goods & décor |
| Acacia | Hard with a distinct figure — tables, boards, rustic ranges |
| Teak | High natural oil, weather-resistant — premium & outdoor, at a premium |
| Reclaimed / old wood | Character & sustainability story — industrial & eco ranges |
Legally sourced, documented, and cleared for your market.
Dalbergia sissoo is a listed Dalbergia species, so sheesham trade is governed under CITES. That is a reason to source carefully — not to avoid the wood. We handle sheesham under CITES-compliant procedures with documented legal origin, Vriksh timber-legality verification and FSC chain-of-custody, and we build geolocated, deforestation-free due diligence so shipments are EUDR-ready. For other destinations we support US Lacey Act declarations, the UK Timber Regulation, CARB / TSCA finish norms and ISPM-15 heat-treated export packing. Certificate details are shared directly with serious buyers — never published, to prevent misuse.
Timber legality
CITES-compliant handling of Dalbergia sissoo, Vriksh verification and documented legal sourcing on every sheesham order.
How Vriksh timber-legality worksEU & UK market
EUDR-ready geolocation and deforestation-free due diligence, FSC chain-of-custody and UK Timber Regulation support.
See our EUDR readinessUS market
US Lacey Act declaration support and CARB / TSCA-compliant, low-formaldehyde finishes on sheesham furniture.
All certifications, by nameThe ranges buyers order most in Indian rosewood.
Dining & tables
Dining tables, benches and consoles that show off sheesham's grain — the category that sells the species.
Explore dining furniture
Bedroom & case goods
Beds, chests, dressers and sideboards — dense hardwood that holds drawer joinery for the long term.
Explore bedroom furnitureLiving & wood-and-iron
Coffee tables, shelving, bar and industrial wood-and-iron pieces, assembled or flat-pack to cut freight.
Explore living furnitureLow-maintenance, long-life — and it only gets better.
Place it well
Keep sheesham out of direct sunlight and away from radiators and vents to limit movement and fading.
Clean gently
Dust with a soft dry or barely-damp cloth; wipe spills promptly. Avoid silicone sprays and standing water.
Feed the finish
Re-oil or re-wax oiled finishes periodically to nourish the wood and keep the colour deep and even.
Let it age
Well-dried, well-finished sheesham darkens and enriches over years — a feature to sell, not a flaw.
Sheesham wood, answered.
What is sheesham wood?
Sheesham is the trade name for Dalbergia sissoo, also called Indian rosewood or shisham. It is a dense, close-grained tropical hardwood grown across northern India and the workhorse timber of Jodhpur's solid-wood furniture cluster. Its interlocked golden-to-chocolate grain, natural oils and strength make it a long-life furniture wood that takes carving, turning and fine finishes exceptionally well.
Is sheesham a good wood for furniture?
Yes. Sheesham is a true hardwood — hard, dense and dimensionally stable once properly kiln-dried — so it resists dents, holds joinery and carving, and lasts for decades. Its distinctive grain means every piece is unique, which is why importers, retailers and hospitality buyers specify it for dining tables, sideboards and case goods meant to be sold as solid-wood, not veneer.
Is sheesham wood CITES restricted, and can you still export it?
Dalbergia sissoo is a listed Dalbergia species, so its trade is governed under CITES. We handle sheesham under CITES-compliant procedures with documented legal sourcing, Vriksh timber-legality verification and FSC chain-of-custody, and we are EUDR-ready with geolocation and deforestation-free due diligence. Legally sourced, properly documented sheesham furniture ships to the US, UK, EU and Australia — the paperwork is the point, and we provide it per shipment.
How do I care for sheesham wood furniture?
Keep it out of direct sunlight and away from radiators or vents to limit movement, wipe spills promptly, and dust with a soft dry or barely-damp cloth. Re-oil or wax oiled finishes periodically to feed the wood; avoid silicone sprays and standing water. Properly dried and finished sheesham is low-maintenance and ages into a deeper, richer tone over time.
How does sheesham compare to mango, acacia and teak?
Sheesham is harder and denser than mango, with a more pronounced dark grain; acacia is comparably hard but shows a different figure and colour; teak carries the highest natural oil and weather resistance but at a premium cost. For indoor solid-wood furniture with strong grain character, durability and value, sheesham is the benchmark Jodhpur timber — which is why it anchors most of our dining, bedroom and living ranges.
What products do you make in sheesham wood?
Dining tables and benches, sideboards and buffets, beds and bedroom case goods, coffee and console tables, bookcases and shelving, office desks, bar units, and wood-and-iron industrial pieces — in our own ODM designs or built to your drawings and finishes (OEM). We supply assembled or flat-pack / knockdown to cut freight, with retail-ready or branded packaging.
Specify genuine, documented Indian rosewood — from a single trial order up.
Send us your designs or ours, a target finish and a market. We will quote FOB or CIF from Mundra / Nhava Sheva, ship a sample first, and supply every sheesham container with CITES-compliant, Vriksh-verified, FSC and EUDR-ready documentation.