Rosewood vs. Teak: Which One to Use?

Rosewood vs. Teak: Which One to Use?

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If you need a really hard and durable type of wood to build with, then there are quite a few good options at your disposal. Two of the best types of wood that you could use in terms of durability are rosewood and teak.

With that being said, there are still differences between the two. Let’s do a side-by-side comparison to see which one is best used for your next big woodworking project.

What Is Rosewood?

First, we have rosewood, and here we are talking specifically about Brazilian rosewood. Yes, there are different varieties out there, such as Madagascar and Indian rosewood, but Brazilian rosewood is the most popular type used for building purposes. As you might be able to tell by the name of it, this type of wood does indeed smell like roses and flowers.

Furthermore, Brazilian rosewood is a type of hardwood, and all rosewoods are generally known for being very richly hued and quite dark brown in color. Besides being dark brown, almost like chocolate or dark coffee, it may also have a reddish-brown or purple hue, along with very dark streaks that are contrasting in color. These streaks may also form a spider web pattern.

This wood has a straight grain and uniform appearance, along with a coarse texture, although it may at times be spiraled or interlocked. Brazilian rosewood is extremely hard, dense, and durable, and extremely resistant to many types of damage. At the same time, it is also extremely pest and moisture-resistant, so it is ideal for both indoor and outdoor purposes.

With that being said, Brazilian rosewood is so rare that it is extremely expensive, and actually often sold on the illegal market. Due to its high price, it is generally only used for small projects, such as for small indoor furniture, decorative pieces, and musical instruments. It is not usually used for large-scale construction purposes due to this very high cost.

What Is Teak?

We then have teak, which is a tropical hardwood tree that is mainly found in mixed hardwood forests, mainly in India, Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, and in some parts of Africa and the Caribbean. The most popular type of teak used for construction, due to its great durability, is Brazilian teak, so this will be our main focus for today, although this is far from the only teak variety.

This tree features wood that has a fairly straight grain, is quite smooth, and also doesn’t have many gaps, knots, or holes. It also has a very rich and beautiful golden color, which can sometimes be a bit darker brown than it is gold. This type of wood usually also gets lighter in color as it dries.

What many people love about teak is that it is extremely durable, hard, dense, and strong overall, so it is very resistant to many different forms of physical damage. Teak is also very resistant to pests, moisture, fungus, mold, cracking, warping, rotting, and more.

It is therefore an excellent option for both indoor and outdoor purposes and is one of the most durable types of wood in the world. It can be used for many different projects, including but not limited to furniture, trim, paneling, flooring, walling, and much more.

Rosewood vs. Teak: What Are the Differences?

Now that we know what both rosewood and teak are, let’s figure out what makes these two types of wood different from each other.

Hardness

First, we have Brazilian rosewood, which features a Janka hardness rating of 2,790 lbf, whereas teak comes in at 3,000 lbf, therefore making it just a little bit harder than rosewood, and therefore more resilient towards denting, scratching, and physical damage in general. Because of this, it is the better option for indoor furniture.

Density

Brazilian rosewood features a density of 59 lbs per cubic foot, whereas teak has a density of 68 lbs per cubic foot. As you can see, teak is the much denser and heavier of these two types of wood, which does lend to it being a bit more durable and structurally sound, although its heavier weight does also make it a bit harder to work with.

Pest and Moisture Resistance

Here we have two types of wood that are actually both ideal for outdoor purposes, which makes it rather hard to say which one is better. However, according to most sources, Brazilian teak is probably slightly more moisture and pest-resistant than its rosewood competitor. However, in the grand scheme of things, both can be used for outdoor purposes and both will resist moisture just fine.

Overall Strength and Durability

If we are talking about the modulus of elasticity, the modulus of rupture, and the compressive strength, Brazilian teak scores much higher on all fronts. It is just a much stronger and more durable type of wood with more structural soundness.

Workability

Although rosewood might be just a little bit easier to work with than teak, because both are so heavy and dense, as well as hard, they are both fairly hard to saw. Brazilian teak tends to be a bit easier to stain and paint, although it’s also harder to saw and nail.

Appearance – Color and Grain

The big difference here is of course that teak features a golden color whereas rosewood has more of a dark and rich coffee color. Both are extremely beautiful, although this is of course more a matter of personal preference than anything else.

Cost

Brazilian teak will usually cost you between $20 and $30 per board foot, whereas Brazilian rosewood can cost you up to $70 per board foot.

When to Use Rosewood?

If you like that rich color of rosewood, you need something extremely hard, durable, dense, moisture-resistant, pest-resistant, and more, then it is a fantastic option to use. This is a very expensive type of luxury wood that is ideal for decorative purposes. Yes, you can use it for things like indoor furniture, but it is quite expensive and hard to obtain.

When to Use Teak?

Realistically, when it comes to both indoor and outdoor use, teak is likely the better option, mainly because it’s harder, heavier, more durable, and stronger overall. There’s also the fact that it is much cheaper. What it really comes down to here is a matter of personal preference, mainly in terms of appearance.

Alternatives to Teak and Rosewood

Both of these types of wood are very expensive and may be too expensive for some. You could always look for more affordable options such as Douglas fir, pine, spruce, cedar, maple, poplar, and more or less everything in between. That said, you won’t find many types of wood that are more durable or moisture-resistant than either teak or rosewood.

Summary

Now that you know what makes rosewood and teak different from each other, you can make an informed decision between the two.