Home / Wood Compare / Ebony vs Wenge
Professional Comparison · Verified Engineering Data · Updated 19 July 2026
Ebony VS Wenge
Which wood is better for your project? Scores are computed from the verified figures on each species page — how we score.
Verdict: near-tie. The right choice depends on the application — see winner by category below.
🥇
Ebony
91/100 Library Score
🪵Hardwood🌧Outdoor🔥Low Flame Spread💧Moisture Stable
- Harder wear surface (Janka 2430 vs 1930 lbf)
- Better flame-spread class (Class A vs Class B)
🥈
Wenge
89/100 Library Score
🪵Hardwood🌧Outdoor💧Moisture Stable
- Lighter (0.8 vs 0.9 g/cm³)
- Solid choice where its profile fits the project
Visual comparison
EbonyWenge
Winner by category
There isn't one universally best wood — there's a best wood for each purpose.
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Durability | Tie |
| Stability | Tie |
| Hardness | Tie |
| Strength (MOR) | Wenge |
| Stiffness (MOE) | Tie |
| Flame spread | Ebony |
| Machining ease | Wenge |
| Lightness | Wenge |
Engineering data
| Property | Ebony | Wenge |
|---|---|---|
| Janka Hardness | 2430 lbf | 1930WD lbf |
| Density | 0.9 g/cm³ | 0.8WD g/cm³ |
| MOE | 16.0 GPa | 17.6WD GPa |
| MOR | 136.0 MPa | 151.7WD MPa |
| Durability | Class 1 Very Durable | Class 1 Very Durable |
| Stability | Excellent | Excellent |
| Fire (E84) | Class A indicative | Class B indicative |
| Radial Shrink | 5.5 % | 4.8WD % |
| Tangential Shrink | 6.5 % | 8.1WD % |
| T/R Ratio | 1.18 | 1.69 |
Figures carry the same source status as the species pages they come from — verified where cited, indicative where marked.
Best for
| Application | Recommended | Suitability |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor decking / pergola | 🥇 Ebony | ★★★★★ |
| Exterior cladding | 🥇 Wenge | ★★★★☆ |
| Flooring / wear surfaces | 🥇 Ebony | ★★★★☆ |
| Furniture / interior joinery | 🥇 Wenge | ★★★☆☆ |
| Structural / load-bearing | 🥇 Wenge | ★★★★☆ |
Advantages & limitations
Ebony
Advantages
- Rated for exterior exposure (EN 350 Class 1)
- Very low movement in service
- Hard wear surface, dent-resistant
- Best flame-spread class (E84 Class A, indicative)
Limitations
- Hard on tooling; pre-drilling recommended
- Heavy — consider structure and handling
Wenge
Advantages
- Rated for exterior exposure (EN 350 Class 1)
- Very low movement in service
- Hard wear surface, dent-resistant
Limitations
- Hard on tooling; pre-drilling recommended
- Heavy — consider structure and handling
Recommendation
Choose Ebony if…
- You want the stronger all-round engineering profile
Choose Wenge if…
- Weight matters — ceilings, wall panels, transport
- Its profile matches the application better than a single overall score
Frequently asked questions
Which is more durable, Ebony or Wenge?
Neither — both carry the same EN 350 rating (Class 1, Very Durable). For outdoor decisions between them, weigh dimensional stability and hardness instead.
Which wood is better for outdoor use?
They are closely matched outdoors — durability and stability come out almost level. Let the application decide: harder surface for decking traffic, lighter weight for cladding.
Is Ebony harder than Wenge?
Yes — Janka 2430 lbf vs 1930 lbf.
How we score. Each wood gets a weighted composite of the verified figures shown above: durability 22%, stability 18%, hardness 12%, bending strength 12%, machining ease 12%, stiffness 8%, flame spread 8%, lightness 8%. The Library Score is that composite's percentile rank within our 60-species library — 50 means the library median, 90 means it outperforms nine of every ten species we cover. No price data is scored — cost guidance is qualitative. The score summarises the data; it does not replace judgement about your specific application.