Wood guide · Sourced facts, no guesswork
Types of wood for furniture in Pakistan
The wood decides how heavy a piece feels, how it ages, how it copes with Islamabad's monsoon and what it costs. Here is how the five woods we build in compare, with every figure taken from a published source and “Not published” wherever no reliable number exists.
Side by side
How the woods compare
Density is the average dried weight at about 12% moisture; Janka is side hardness (higher resists dents better). Durability ratings refer to heartwood only. Price tier is relative to the other woods we use.
| Wood | Density | Janka hardness | Decay durability | Termites | Best for | Price tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SheeshamShisham · Tali · TaaliDalbergia sissoo | about 770 kg/m³ | 1,660 lbf | Durable to very durable (heartwood) | Naturally termite-resistant heartwood, not termite-proof | Beds, dining tables, chairs, carved Chinioti work | Premium |
| KailBlue pine · BiarPinus wallichiana | Not published | Not published | Durable under cover, non-durable when exposed | Not naturally termite-resistant; needs treatment | Doors, wardrobes, panelling, light and budget furniture | Value |
| DiyarDeodar · Himalayan cedarCedrus deodara | about 560 kg/m³ | Not published | Very durable heartwood; sapwood is attacked | Heartwood resists insects; sapwood does not | Doors, frames, wardrobes, cabinets, carving | Mid |
| AkhrotWalnut · English walnut · Persian walnutJuglans regia | about 640 kg/m³ | 1,220 lbf | Moderately durable | Susceptible to insect attack; keep indoors | Luxury beds, carving, panelling, statement pieces | Premium |
| TeakSagwan · SaagwanTectona grandis | about 655 kg/m³ | 1,070 lbf | Very durable | Resistant to termites | Bathroom, veranda and outdoor pieces, premium doors | Premium |
“Not published” means we could not find a reliable, sourced figure, so we do not print one. Kail's density is a common example: numbers circulate online without a source.
Quick guidance
Which wood is best for…
The answer depends on where the piece will live and how hard it will be used. These are the choices we recommend most often in our showroom.
Beds
Sheesham
A bed carries weight every night for decades and is bolted and unbolted when you move. Sheesham is hard, strong and naturally termite-resistant in the heartwood. Kail is the budget option for a child's or guest bed.
Dining tables and chairs
Sheesham
Chairs are dragged, tipped back and knocked daily, so joint strength and hardness matter most. Sheesham (1,660 lbf Janka) resists dents better than any other wood we use.
Kitchens
Board carcass, solid wood shutters
No solid wood likes standing water. Build the sink base in plywood or moisture-resistant board with sealed edges, and use Sheesham or Diyar for shutters and frames if you want solid wood.
Carving and statement pieces
Sheesham or Akhrot
Sheesham is the wood of Chinioti carving and takes crisp detail. Akhrot (walnut) carves beautifully and brings a deep chocolate colour for a headboard or center table.
A tighter budget
Kail
Kail is real solid wood at a lower price, light and easy to work. Keep it indoors, away from damp, and treat it against termites. Diyar costs more but its heartwood is far more durable.
Bathrooms and verandas
Teak
Teak's natural oils and very high decay and termite resistance make it the wood for places that meet moisture. It is imported, so it sits at the premium end.
In depth
The woods we build in
Each guide covers local names, where the wood grows, grain, strength, termites, care and how to recognise the real thing.
- SheeshamShisham · Tali · Taali50-year guaranteePakistan's classic furniture hardwood: dense, hard and naturally termite-resistant in the heartwood, with a golden to reddish brown grain that deepens with age. Grown across the Punjab plains and carved in Chiniot for generations.Best forBeds, dining tables, chairs, carved Chinioti workPremiumRead the guide
- KailBlue pine · BiarBlue pine from the northern hills: a light, soft, easily worked softwood that seasons and takes preservative treatment well. A sensible value choice for doors, wardrobes, panelling and light furniture kept indoors.Best forDoors, wardrobes, panelling, light and budget furnitureValueRead the guide
- DiyarDeodar · Himalayan cedarDeodar, the Himalayan cedar and national tree of Pakistan: a light, fragrant conifer whose heartwood is very durable. A traditional choice for doors, frames, wardrobes and carved panels.Best forDoors, frames, wardrobes, cabinets, carvingMidRead the guide
- AkhrotWalnut · English walnut · Persian walnutWalnut from the northern valleys: a rich chocolate-brown hardwood prized for carving, statement beds and fine panelling. Beautiful and easy to carve, but scarce, costly and best kept indoors.Best forLuxury beds, carving, panelling, statement piecesPremiumRead the guide
- TeakSagwan · SaagwanImported teak, the benchmark for decay resistance: naturally oily, very durable and termite-resistant. The wood to choose for bathrooms, verandas and any piece that has to live with moisture.Best forBathroom, veranda and outdoor pieces, premium doorsPremiumRead the guide
Before you choose
Three questions a good carpenter will ask you
- Where will it live? Damp is the enemy of every wood and every board. A bed in an upstairs bedroom and a vanity beside a shower need different materials. Wet zones call for Teak or moisture-tolerant board with sealed edges.
- How hard will it be used? Dining chairs and children's beds take knocks every day, so hardness matters. Sheesham is the hardest wood we use. A wardrobe door or wall panel can be softer, which is where Kail and Diyar shine.
- How long should it last? A jahez set or a master bed is often bought once in a lifetime; a study table may be replaced in a few years. Spend on the wood where the years matter.
Whatever you choose, ask for the wood of each part to be written on your quotation and invoice. That one habit protects you from the most common trick in the market: a solid wood front on a board carcass, sold as solid wood.
Frequently asked questions
Which wood is best for furniture in Pakistan?
For most indoor furniture, and especially beds and dining tables, Sheesham. It is dense (about 770 kg/m³), hard (1,660 lbf Janka) and its heartwood is rated durable to very durable (Wood Database). Teak is better for wet or outdoor spots, Akhrot for carving and colour, and Kail when budget matters most.
What are the types of wood used for furniture in Pakistan?
The main local woods are Sheesham (Shisham, Tali), Kail (blue pine), Diyar (deodar), Akhrot (walnut), Kikar and Chir pine, plus imported Teak, oak, beech and ash. We build in Sheesham, Kail, Diyar, Akhrot and Teak, and use engineered boards such as MDF, Lasani and plywood for kitchens.
Solid wood vs MDF vs Lasani: which is better?
Solid wood can be repaired and re-polished and lasts far longer when kept dry. MDF and Lasani (a laminated board, usually with an MDF or particleboard core) are cheaper and very flat, but they swell permanently if water gets into an unsealed edge. Boards make sense for kitchen carcasses and budget wardrobes; solid wood for beds, tables and chairs.
Which is the cheapest durable wood?
Among the woods we use, Kail is the lowest-cost solid wood, but it is only durable under cover and needs treatment against termites. Diyar costs more, and its heartwood is very durable. For lasting value in beds and dining furniture, Sheesham usually works out cheaper over its life.
Which wood is best for a bed in Pakistan?
Sheesham. A bed carries weight every night and is taken apart when you move, so hardness, joint strength and termite resistance matter. Solid Sheesham beds from us also carry our 50-year wood guarantee. Kail is a sensible budget option for a child's or guest bed.
Which wood is best for kitchen cabinets in Pakistan?
Use moisture-tolerant board for the carcass, especially plywood with sealed edges around the sink, and choose the shutters by look and budget: solid Sheesham or Diyar for a premium kitchen, veneer or laminate on board for mid budgets. Our kitchen materials guide explains each option.
Is any wood termite-proof?
No. Some heartwoods resist termites well: Sheesham was the most resistant of ten local woods in a Pakistani study (Pakistan Journal of Zoology, 2017) and Teak is rated resistant (Wood Database). But wood in contact with damp soil can still be attacked, and sapwood of every species has little resistance.
Sources
Figures in the table and on each wood page come from these sources. Price tiers are our own relative estimate, not quoted prices.
- Wood Database (opens in a new tab): Sissoo (Sheesham): density, hardness, strength, shrinkage, durability
- Wood Database (opens in a new tab): English walnut (Akhrot): density, hardness, durability
- Wood Database (opens in a new tab): Teak: density, hardness, durability, Myanmar sanctions
- World Agroforestry (opens in a new tab): Pinus wallichiana (Kail): durability and treatment
- World Agroforestry (opens in a new tab): Cedrus deodara (Diyar): density and durability
- Punjab Forest Department (opens in a new tab): Local names of forest species, including Partal (Abies pindrow)
- Pakistan Journal of Zoology 49(3):785–792 (2017) (opens in a new tab): Resistance of ten wood species to the termite Heterotermes indicola
- USDA Forest Service (opens in a new tab): Long-term field tests of wood durability and termite resistance
- WoodSolutions (AS 5604) (opens in a new tab): Natural durability classes for heartwood
- Dawn (opens in a new tab): Deodar as the national tree of Pakistan
Not sure yet?
Tell us the piece and the room. We will suggest the wood.
Send a photo or a rough size on WhatsApp, or visit our showroom on Golra Road to see and feel each wood before you decide.