Sheesham vs mango vs acacia: choosing wood for furniture from India
Sheesham is the denser, harder and more durable of the two named woods; mango is lighter, softer and more prone to insect and fungal attack, with more colour variation. "Acacia" is several species, so ask which one. For all three, the moisture content when the order ships decides more than the species.
How the three woods compare
Wood properties from The Wood Database (sissoo, mango). Inspection points from what we check on these woods in Jodhpur and the other clusters.
| Sheesham | Mango | Acacia | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Botanical name | Dalbergia sissoo | Mangifera indica | Several species are sold as "acacia" |
| Average dried weight | 770 kg/m³ (48 lb/ft³) | 675 kg/m³ (42 lb/ft³) | Varies by species |
| Janka hardness | 1,660 lbf (7,380 N) | 1,070 lbf (4,780 N) | Varies by species |
| Shrinkage, tangential / radial | 5.3% / 3.1% | 5.5% / 3.6% | Varies by species |
| Decay resistance | Durable to very durable | Moderately durable to perishable; prone to fungal and insect attack | Varies by species |
| Watch for at inspection | Moisture and cracking; colour match across a batch | Moisture; colour streaks and spalting against the golden sample; tearout on machined surfaces; insect damage | Moisture; the species named on the invoice |
| Paperwork to ask for | Botanical name; CITES status of the goods (Dalbergia genus listing) | Botanical name | Botanical name of the actual species |
What each wood means for your order
Sheesham (Dalbergia sissoo)
The hardest and most durable of the two named woods, and a staple of the Jodhpur cluster. Its main export risk is moisture: kiln time gets cut when an order runs late, and wet sheesham cracks in heated homes.
Paperwork: sheesham is a Dalbergia, a CITES-listed genus. Check the current rule for your product before you order.
Mango (Mangifera indica)
Lighter and softer, glues and finishes well. Its colour varies from golden brown to yellow, pink or black streaks, and spalting is common, so agree an acceptable colour range against the golden sample.
Interlocked grain can tear out when machined, and the wood is prone to fungal and insect attack: worth a close look at surfaces and end grain.
Acacia (several species)
Jodhpur makes acacia furniture alongside sheesham and mango, but "acacia" names a group of trees, not one timber. Density and durability depend on which one.
Ask for the botanical name on the invoice. You need it for a US Lacey Act declaration and for EUDR due diligence.
Moisture limit by destination
Whatever the species, wood shipped wet shrinks where it lands. Set the limit against the climate the furniture will live in, write it into the PO, and have it checked with a pin meter before shipment. These are the specifications in our market guides.
| Destination | Moisture content to specify (solid hardwood) |
|---|---|
| Canada | 6–8% |
| USA | 7–9% |
| UK | 8–10% |
| Germany | 8–10% |
| France | about 8–10% |
| Spain | 8–10% |
| Denmark | 8–10% |
| UAE and GCC | 8–10% |
| Saudi Arabia | 8–10% |
| Netherlands | 9–11% staying local; 8–10% if sold on to heated Central European homes |
| Belgium | 9–11% staying local; 8–10% if sold on to heated Central European homes |
| Australia | about 9–11%; 8–10% for Perth, Adelaide and inland |
How the reading is taken, and why a batch average hides wet pieces: pre-shipment inspection, check C-02. Put the limit in writing with the free inspection checklist, and see the inspection guides by product for beds, chairs, tables and more.
Wood questions buyers ask
Is sheesham or mango wood better for furniture?
Sheesham (Dalbergia sissoo) is denser and harder, about 770 kg/m³ and 1,660 lbf Janka, and is rated durable to very durable. Mango (Mangifera indica) is lighter and softer, about 675 kg/m³ and 1,070 lbf, and is rated moderately durable to perishable. For either wood, the moisture content at shipment decides more about how the furniture performs than the species does.
Is mango wood furniture good quality?
It can be. Mango is a medium-density hardwood that glues and finishes well, but it is softer than sheesham and more prone to fungal and insect attack, and its colour varies with streaks and spalting. Specify the moisture limit and the acceptable colour range against a golden sample, and have both checked before shipment.
Is sheesham the same as Indian rosewood?
Sheesham is Dalbergia sissoo, also sold as sissoo or North Indian rosewood. The name "Indian rosewood" is also used for a different and harder species, Dalbergia latifolia, so ask the exporter for the botanical name on the invoice.
Why does sheesham furniture crack after delivery?
Usually because it shipped wet. Kiln time is the first thing cut when an order runs late, and wood that leaves above its moisture limit shrinks across the grain in a heated or air-conditioned home, six weeks to six months after delivery. A moisture limit in the purchase order, checked with a pin meter before shipment, is the fix.
Do I need a CITES permit for sheesham furniture?
Sheesham is listed on CITES Appendix II with the rest of the Dalbergia genus. In November 2022 CITES relaxed the rules for some finished sheesham furniture and handicrafts exported from India, but the exemption depends on the product, so confirm the current rule with your exporter and the CITES authority before you order.
What is acacia wood furniture from India?
Several different trees are sold as "acacia" in the Indian furniture trade, and their density and durability differ. Ask for the botanical name of the species actually used. You need it for a US Lacey Act declaration and for EU deforestation-regulation due diligence anyway.
Sources: The Wood Database, Sissoo and Mango; CITES CoP19 Proposal 47 on Dalbergia sissoo. Checked 10 October 2026.
Have the moisture checked before you pay
A pre-shipment inspection takes pin-meter readings on every sampled piece and checks finish against your golden sample. From $249, report in 24 hours.
Book a pre-shipment inspection Jodhpur furniture cluster