Home / Wood Compare / Merbau vs Indian Rosewood
Professional Comparison · Source-attributed engineering data · Updated 19 July 2026
Merbau VS Indian Rosewood
Which wood is better for your project? Scores are computed from the verified figures on each species page — how we score.
🥇
Merbau
84/100 Library Score
🪵Hardwood🌧Outdoor💧Moisture Stable
- Better dimensional stability (Good vs Moderate)
🥈
Indian Rosewood
74/100 Library Score
🪵Hardwood🌧Outdoor
- Harder wear surface
- Solid choice where its profile fits the project
Visual comparison
MerbauIndian Rosewood
Winner by category
There isn't one universally best wood — there's a best wood for each purpose.
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Durability | Tie |
| Stability | Merbau |
| Hardness | Indian Rosewood |
| Strength (MOR) | Tie |
| Stiffness (MOE) | Merbau |
| Flame spread | Tie |
| Machining ease | Merbau |
| Lightness | Merbau |
Engineering data
| Property | Merbau | Indian Rosewood |
|---|---|---|
| Janka Hardness | 1712WD lbf | 2440WD lbf |
| Density | 0.74FPL g/cm³ | 0.75FPL g/cm³ |
| MOE | 15.4FPL GPa | 11.6FPL GPa |
| MOR | 116.0FPL MPa | 116.0FPL MPa |
| Durability | Class 1 Very Durable | Class 1 Very Durable |
| Stability | Good | Moderate |
| Fire (E84) | Class B indicative | Class B indicative |
| Radial Shrink | 2.7WD % | 2.7WD % |
| Tangential Shrink | 4.6WD % | 5.8WD % |
| T/R Ratio | 1.7 | 2.15 |
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 | 🥇 Merbau | ★★★★☆ |
| Exterior cladding | 🥇 Merbau | ★★★★☆ |
| Flooring / wear surfaces | 🥇 Merbau | ★★★★☆ |
| Furniture / interior joinery | 🥇 Merbau | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Structural / load-bearing | 🥇 Merbau | ★★★★☆ |
Advantages & limitations
Merbau
Advantages relative to Indian Rosewood
- MOE is 15.4 GPa vs 11.6 GPa, about 33% higher
Limitations relative to Indian Rosewood
- Janka is 1,712 lbf vs 2,440 lbf, about 30% lower
Indian Rosewood
Advantages relative to Merbau
- Janka is 2,440 lbf vs 1,712 lbf, about 43% harder
Limitations relative to Merbau
- MOE is 11.6 GPa vs 15.4 GPa, about 25% lower
Recommendation
Choose Merbau if…
- Interior flooring and exterior decking, outdoor furniture, pergolas and patios, boardwalks and bridges where the higher stiffness matters under load and the shared Class 1 durability and Class B fire class are the baseline
- Boat building, heavy structural frameworks and industrial flooring where structural performance under load is the specification
Choose Indian Rosewood if…
- Musical instruments (documented as the standard for acoustic guitar backs, sides and fingerboards since the 1960s), fine furniture, decorative veneer and panelling where the higher hardness is what the piece needs
- Turned and carved specialty objects and flooring where the harder Dalbergia surface is the working requirement
Frequently asked questions
Which is more durable, Merbau or Indian Rosewood?
Neither — both carry the same EN 350 rating (Class 1, Very Durable). For outdoor work the separation is movement, not decay: Merbau moves 4.6% tangentially against 5.8%, which decides board width and fixing spacing more than the durability class does.
Which wood is better for outdoor use?
Merbau — outdoor performance combines decay durability with dimensional stability, and it leads on that combination.
Is Merbau harder than Indian Rosewood?
No — Indian Rosewood is harder (Janka 2440 vs 1712 lbf).
How we score. Scores shown are percentile ranks within our library, weighted towards durability and dimensional stability. They shortlist; they do not decide. Full weighting and what it excludes.