Rosewood Timber Guide

Everything you need to know about rosewood timber.

Rosewood Timber Technical Information

Rosewood- Pterocarpus Indicus

Rosewood – also known as New Guinea Rosewood is a medium sized hardwood in South East Asia, Philippines, Solomon Islands. The heartwood can be golden yellow brown or blood red colour, evens out over time to honey brown. Sapwood pale yellow. Grain is variable and highly figured. Texture is medium. The timber is susceptible to lyctid borer, but is termite resistant. In its sawn form it is easily worked with hand and machine tools. The heartwood is hard to stain, but polishes to a lustrous finish.
As an overview, this species could be described as an extremely versatile timber which presents any prospective user with a range of options – from ground contact to use in cladding, exposed structural and non – structural joinery. Screws, glues and nails well and easy to work with.

Physical Properties

  • Dry Density: 610 kg / m3
Species Name Rosewood
Botanical Name Pterocarpus Indicus
Colour Range golden yellow brown or blood red colour.
Janka (Hardness) Rating – Dry 4.7-12
Natural Durability Class In-ground contact 2
Outside above ground contact 1
Hardness From 563 – 680 kg / m3
Strength Group Unseasoned (Green) S4
Seasoned (Dry) SD5
Joint Group Unseasoned (Green)
Seasoned (Dry) JD6
Fire Indices Spread-of-Flame Index 3
Fire Rating BAL19
Smoke-Developed Index not known
Critical Radiant Flux not known
Smoke Development Rate not known
Group Number 3
Naturally bushfire-resisting Timber BAL 12.5 and 19-Door and window joinery only
Tangential Shrinkage % 2
Hardness Seasoned (Dried) Firm – rated 4 on scale 1 to 6
Naturally Termite Resistant to AS3660R = Resistant

NR = Non resistant

R
Naturally Lyctus SusceptibleS = Susceptible

NS = Non susceptible

S