If you are spending two to ten lakhs on a sofa set, the wood matters more than the fabric. The upholstery can be replaced in ten years. The frame cannot. Here is how the three woods you will be offered in India actually compare.
Teak (Sagwan)
Teak is the wood most Indian furniture makers treat as the benchmark, and there is a reason for it. It carries a high level of natural oil in the grain, which is what makes it resist moisture, termites and fungal attack without chemical treatment.
- Humidity: Very stable. It moves less than other hardwoods as the weather changes, which matters a great deal in coastal cities.
- Carving: Takes detail well and holds a sharp edge on the carving for decades.
- Weight: Moderately heavy — solid, but not immovable.
- Cost: The most expensive of the three, and the price gap is real, not marketing.
Teak is the right answer for a piece you expect to keep for thirty years, particularly if you live near the coast.
Sheesham (Indian Rosewood)
Sheesham is dense, hard and has a much more dramatic grain than teak — dark streaks running through a lighter brown. It is genuinely strong and takes a deep polish beautifully.
- Humidity: Good, provided it has been properly seasoned. This is the whole issue with sheesham. Poorly seasoned sheesham warps and cracks. Well-seasoned sheesham lasts generations.
- Carving: Excellent, and the grain adds depth to carved surfaces.
- Weight: Heavier than teak.
- Cost: Less than teak, more than most alternatives.
Ask any seller how long the sheesham was seasoned and whether it was kiln-dried. If they cannot answer, that is your answer.
Rosewood (Shisham / Dalbergia latifolia)
True rosewood is denser again, with a deep, almost purple-brown colour. It is the traditional wood for high-end carved and inlaid furniture in India, and it is what mother-of-pearl inlay work is usually set into.
- Humidity: Very good when seasoned.
- Carving: The finest detail work is possible in rosewood, which is why inlay pieces use it.
- Weight: The heaviest of the three. A rosewood set is not something you rearrange casually.
- Cost: Comparable to or above teak depending on grade and availability.
What about engineered wood, ply and MDF?
Plenty of furniture sold as “wooden” has a solid wood face and an engineered core. That is not automatically dishonest — engineered board is stable and fine for a wardrobe carcass. It is not fine for a carved sofa frame that has to carry weight for decades and hold carved detail, and it should never be sold at solid-wood prices.
Two questions settle it: is the frame solid wood throughout, or only the visible faces? and will you put that in writing on the invoice?
A quick way to compare
| Teak | Sheesham | Rosewood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moisture resistance | Excellent | Good if seasoned | Good if seasoned |
| Carving detail | Excellent | Very good | Finest |
| Weight | Moderate | Heavy | Heaviest |
| Relative cost | Highest | Moderate | High |
So which should you buy?
If you are near the sea or in a high-humidity flat, teak. If you want dramatic grain and deep polish at a somewhat lower price, well-seasoned sheesham. If you want the finest carving or inlay work, rosewood.
Whichever you choose, get the wood named on the invoice. A seller confident in the material will have no problem writing it down.
Every Furnilook sofa names its wood on the product page and on the invoice. See our sofa collection, or call +91 84518 62581 to talk through which wood suits your home.
