Indian Rosewood wood movement, board-foot & weight calculator
- Janka
- 3,170lbf
- Density
- 52.4lb/ft³
- T/R ratio
- 2.1
- Spec. gravity
- 0.75
Indian Rosewood (Dalbergia latifolia) is an imported species. It has a Janka side hardness of 3,170 lbf, a specific gravity of 0.75, and an air-dry density near 52 lb/ft³ (839 kg/m³) (mechanical values at 12% moisture content). It shrinks 5.8% tangentially and 2.7% radially from green to oven-dry (T/R ratio 2.1), so a 12-inch flatsawn board moves about 0.14 in (≈ 1/8 in) across a 6-point moisture swing (about 6%→12% MC).
Compute Indian Rosewood: movement, weight & board footage
Every number below is worked from Indian Rosewood's own shrinkage and density figures, not looked up from a table — change the width, moisture swing, or board size in the calculators linked alongside.
Cross-grain movement by board width
| Board width | Flatsawn (tangential) | Quartersawn (radial) |
|---|---|---|
| 2″ | 0.023″ (≈ 1/32 in) | 0.011″ (≈ 0 in) |
| 3″ | 0.035″ (≈ 1/32 in) | 0.016″ (≈ 1/32 in) |
| 4″ | 0.046″ (≈ 1/32 in) | 0.022″ (≈ 1/32 in) |
| 6″ | 0.07″ (≈ 1/16 in) | 0.032″ (≈ 1/32 in) |
| 8″ | 0.093″ (≈ 3/32 in) | 0.043″ (≈ 1/32 in) |
| 10″ | 0.116″ (≈ 1/8 in) | 0.054″ (≈ 1/16 in) |
| 12″ | 0.139″ (≈ 1/8 in) | 0.065″ (≈ 1/16 in) |
| 16″ | 0.186″ (≈ 3/16 in) | 0.086″ (≈ 3/32 in) |
Need a different width or moisture swing? Run the movement calculator preloaded with Indian Rosewood. At a T/R ratio of 2.15, Indian Rosewood is moderately unstable — it moves substantially more tangentially than radially, so flatsawn stock is noticeably cup-prone and quartersawn stock is worth the extra cost in wide panels.
Board footage & weight, standard sizes
| Nominal size × length | Board feet | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| 1×4 × 8′ | 2.67 bd ft | 11.6 lb |
| 1×6 × 8′ | 4 bd ft | 17.5 lb |
| 1×8 × 8′ | 5.33 bd ft | 23.3 lb |
| 1×10 × 8′ | 6.67 bd ft | 29.1 lb |
| 1×12 × 8′ | 8 bd ft | 34.9 lb |
| 2×4 × 8′ | 5.33 bd ft | 23.3 lb |
| 2×6 × 8′ | 8 bd ft | 34.9 lb |
| 2×8 × 8′ | 10.67 bd ft | 46.6 lb |
Different length or size? Run the board foot calculator or the weight calculator, both preloaded with Indian Rosewood.
Seasonal movement by city
| City | Driest month (EMC) | Most-humid month (EMC) | EMC swing | 12″ board movement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix, AZ | Jun · 4.4% | Dec · 9% | 4.6 pts | 0.107″ (≈ 3/32 in) |
| Chicago, IL | May · 12.3% | Dec · 15.1% | 2.8 pts | 0.065″ (≈ 1/16 in) |
| Miami, FL | Apr · 12.2% | Sep · 14.4% | 2.2 pts | 0.051″ (≈ 1/16 in) |
| Boston, MA | Apr · 11.5% | Sep · 12.8% | 1.3 pts | 0.03″ (≈ 1/32 in) |
| Denver, CO | Jul · 8% | Dec · 10.5% | 2.5 pts | 0.058″ (≈ 1/16 in) |
| Seattle, WA | Jul · 12% | Dec · 16.9% | 4.9 pts | 0.114″ (≈ 1/8 in) |
Driven by Indian Rosewood's tangential shrinkage of 5.8%. These are outdoor equilibrium-moisture figures, so they are an upper bound — a climate-controlled interior swings less. How this is calculated.
How Indian Rosewood compares
Ranked against the 196 species in the Wood Handbook tables this site carries.
- Hardness: at 3,170 lbf, Indian Rosewood is harder than 96% of the 157 species with a Janka figure — firmly in the hard quarter, which is what resists denting in flooring and worktops.
- Weight: at 52.4 lb/ft³ it is heavier than 90% of the 170 species measured — an 8-foot 1×6 board weighs about 17.5 lb.
- Stability: its T/R ratio of 2.15 is more even than 21% of the 196 species here — as humidity changes, 79% of them hold their shape more evenly.
See Indian Rosewood plotted against every species we carry: the full Janka hardness chart and the full density chart .
About Indian Rosewood
Indian rosewood (Dalbergia latifolia) is native to most provinces of India except in the northwest. It is considered vulnerable by the IUCN and is listed in CITES Appendix II. The heartwood varies in color from golden brown to dark purplish brown with denser blackish streaks at the end of growth zones, giving rise to an attractive figure on flat-sawn surfaces. The narrow sapwood is yellowish. The average weight is about 849 kg m–3 (53 lb ft–3) at 12% moisture content. The texture is uniform and moderately coarse. Indian rosewood is quite similar in appearance to Brazilian (Dalbergia nigra) and Honduran (Dalbergia stevensonii) rosewood. The wood is reported to kiln-dry well though slowly, and the color improves during drying. Indian rosewood is a heavy wood with high strength properties; after drying, it is particularly hard for its weight. The wood is moderately hard to work with hand tools and offers a fair resistance in machine operations. Lumber with calcareous deposits tends to dull tools rapidly. The wood turns well and has high screw-holding properties. If a very smooth surface is required for certain purposes, pores (vessels) may need to be filled. Indian rosewood is essentially a decorative wood for high- quality furniture and cabinetwork. In the United States, it is used primarily in the form of veneer.
Durability & sustainability
CITES status: Indian Rosewood is listed on CITES Appendix II, which restricts international trade. Indian rosewood (Dalbergia latifolia) falls under the genus-wide Dalbergia CITES Appendix II listing (added 2017, covering nearly all Dalbergia species in trade).
Properties
| Specific gravity | 0.75 |
|---|---|
| Janka hardness (side) | 3,170 lbf |
| Density (air-dry, 12% MC) | 52.4 lb/ft³ (839 kg/m³) ovendry-weight basis: 46.8 lb/ft³ |
| Weight per board foot (air-dry) | 4.37 lb |
| Radial shrinkage (green→oven-dry) | 2.7% |
| Tangential shrinkage (green→oven-dry) | 5.8% |
| Volumetric shrinkage (green→oven-dry) | 8.5% |
| T/R ratio (stability indicator) | 2.1 |
Shrinkage is total green-to-oven-dry (Table 4-4); strength values are at 12% MC. Full bases and the derivation formulas are on the methodology page.
Data: USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Wood Handbook FPL-GTR-282 (2021), public domain.