Sheesham

Overview

Sheesham, or sissoo, is the everyday Dalbergia of North India: golden to reddish brown with darker streaking, often with a showy interlocked grain. It is a staple of Indian furniture and is valued there at a price on par with teak, according to the Wood Database. It carries lower conservation risk than the heavily threatened rosewoods such as Siamese rosewood. The tree itself, though, is also described as crooked, so clear, long boards are uncommon.

Pros

• Good working characteristics for most machining; turns, glues and finishes well (Wood Database).
• Good decay resistance, rated durable to very durable.
• Moderately low shrinkage (3.1% radial, 5.3% tangential).
• Lower risk than other rosewoods: IUCN Least Concern (2020), and the Wood Database says certified sources exist, which is unusual for Dalbergia.

Cons

• Interlocked grain tears out during surfacing; chalky deposits can dull cutters quickly.
• Rarely exported to the US, so it is hard to find as lumber and the price is uncertain.
• The Dalbergia scent and dust: reported to cause skin irritation, although the Wood Database calls it less allergenic than other rosewoods.
• Still caught by CITES paperwork.
• Not a true heavyweight: density, hardness and colour intensity are lower than other rosewoods (Wood Database), at Janka 1,660 lbf.

Variants and subspecies

• Heartwood: golden to reddish brown.
• Sapwood: pale straw colour, sometimes left in the product, possibly for economy rather than looks (Wood Database).
• Name confusion: sheesham is sometimes sold as "Indian rosewood", and the Wood Database says its standing as an official rosewood is disputed. True East Indian rosewood is a separate species, see East Indian rosewood; the Indonesian name sonokeling is covered in Sonokeling.

Working and finishing

The Wood Database reports that it responds well to nearly all machining operations, except where interlocked grain causes tear-out in surfacing: take light passes, or use a sharp scraper or a high-angle plane. Frequent sharpening helps because of the chalky deposits. It turns, glues and finishes well. The scent is characteristic of Dalbergia, if milder than other rosewoods.

Staining and finishing colour

Sheesham is already rich in colour and is usually finished clear. The Wood Database reports that it finishes well; No source was found on how it takes stain or dye, so test on offcuts. Expect colour variation board to board between the golden and the reddish-brown ends of the range, and a clearly paler sapwood line.

Sustainability and handling

All Dalbergia species except those in Appendix I are in CITES Appendix II under annotation #15 (CITES Appendices text valid from 5 March 2026; checked 2026-09). That covers logs, sawn wood, veneer and other derivatives, but excludes finished products up to 10 kg of wood weight per shipment, finished musical instruments and some other items, so check the annotation for your shipment. The Wood Database page says sissoo is not on the IUCN Red List; Wikipedia gives a newer 2020 assessment of Least Concern. The US Lacey Act (16 U.S.C. 3372) makes it unlawful to trade plants taken or traded in violation of foreign law. EU deforestation rules cover wood and furniture, applying from 30 December 2026 for large and medium operators (EC, checked 2026-09). Ask for the CITES permit and the plantation or certification documents. Irritation is the reported health risk (Wood Database), so wear a mask and use dust extraction.

Popular projects

Furniture, flooring, veneer and plywood, percussion instruments, turned items and carving all appear in the Wood Database's uses list. In India it is a mainstream furniture timber.

Buying notes

In the US it is hard to find; expect to source it from specialist importers or from finished furniture made in India. Because the name is loose, ask for the botanical name Dalbergia sissoo and whether the board is heartwood. A clear-grain board with long length is unusual given the tree's growth habit. If a seller offers cheap "Indian rosewood", it may be this species, not East Indian rosewood.