How hard is narra, and how does it work on the bench?

Narra has a Janka hardness of 1,260 lbf (a USDA Forest Products Laboratory value at 12% moisture content). It is generally easy to work despite its interlocked grain, though figured stock tears, so sharp tooling helps; it turns, carves, glues, and finishes superbly and stays dimensionally stable in service.

Can narra be used outdoors?

Yes. The heartwood is very durable, with strong decay resistance and good resistance to termites, and it is a traditional boatbuilding timber suited to exterior and ground-contact use.

Where does narra come from, and is it regulated?

Narra is native to Southeast Asia and the western Pacific, including the Philippines, where it is the national tree. As of 2024 all Pterocarpus species are listed on CITES Appendix II and the IUCN rates narra Endangered, so any cross-border movement requires permits and a verifiable chain of custody. Raw Heartwood kiln-dries its lumber to 6-8% moisture content.

ExoticPterocarpus indicus

Narra

CITES Appendix II as of 2024. Permits required, every shipment, every time.

Narra (Pterocarpus indicus) is an exotic hardwood with a Janka hardness of 1,260 lbf. Its golden-yellow to reddish-brown heartwood often shows a chatoyant ribbon figure, and it is very durable — resisting decay and termites well enough for exterior and boatbuilding use.

Category: Exotic
Janka: 1,260 lbf
Botanical: Pterocarpus indicus
Shipped at: 6–8% MC

Pterocarpus indicus Native to Southeast Asia and the western Pacific — Philippines

Native to Southeast Asia and the western Pacific — Philippines.

National tree of the Philippines and culturally significant across Southeast Asia. Heartwood golden yellow to reddish brown, often streaked, with strong chatoyant ribbon figure on quartersawn faces.

Detail of Narra grain — figured wood texture, photographed at Raw Heartwood — A close read on the grain. Detail of this specimen

What you see.

Heartwood golden yellow to reddish brown, often streaked, with strong chatoyant ribbon figure on quartersawn faces. Pale yellow sapwood, sharp line. Deepens with age and light into a rich amber-rose.

Heartwood color detail of Narra (Pterocarpus indicus)

Heartwood, this specimen

How the grain runs.

Interlocked. Ribbon stripe and the occasional fiddleback. Medium texture, high luster, slightly oily feel.

Closer in

On the bench.

Very durable. Strong decay resistance, good against termites. Performs in exterior and ground contact. Traditional boatbuilding timber. Generally easy despite the interlock. Figured stock tears. Turns, carves, and finishes superbly. Glues well. Dimensionally stable in service. Low silica compared to most tropical hardwoods. Distinct rose-like or cedar-like fragrance at the cut. Hangs around in fresh-machined stock — typical Pterocarpus. Like other rosewoods and Pterocarpus, narra can cause skin irritation, dermatitis, and respiratory sensitization. Repeat exposure raises the risk. Dust extraction and skin protection.

The numbers, looked at directly.

Janka Hardness

0lbf

5,610 N. Side-hardness — force to embed a half-inch steel ball halfway into the wood.

Average Dried Weight

0lbs/ft³

660 kg/m³. At 12% MC.

Specific Gravity

0.53/ 0.66 at 12% MC

Basic over green volume; second number at 12% moisture content.

Hardness, in context

A side-hardness measurement. Higher number, harder wood.

Shrinkage — radial / tangential / volumetric

2.5%radial

3.8%tangential

6.4%volumetric

On sourcing

CITES Appendix II as of 2024. Permits required.

CITES Appendix II as of 2024 — the CoP19 listing brought all Pterocarpus species not already individually listed under control. Permits required, every shipment, every time. Export permits and non-detriment findings from the country of origin. Re-exports from the U.S. require CITES paperwork too, including on finished goods. IUCN Endangered. Severe historical overharvest — many wild populations are heavily depleted, and the Philippines and Indonesia have logging bans on wild stock. Verify documentation. No exceptions.

What it's for.

High-end furniture
Cabinetry
Flooring
Decorative veneer
Boatbuilding
Instruments
Carving
Turning

Worth knowing.

National tree of the Philippines and culturally significant across Southeast Asia. Treat it as a regulated rosewood-equivalent: CITES permits for any cross-border movement, verifiable chain of custody, no shortcuts.

Sources & references.

Pterocarpus indicus — IUCN Red List — Barstow, M. (2018)
CoP19 Prop. 44 — Inclusion of Pterocarpus spp. in Appendix II — CITES Secretariat (2022)
Pterocarpus indicus — CITES Species+ Checklist
Pterocarpus indicus — Wikipedia contributors
Narra (Pterocarpus indicus) — The Wood Database
Pterocarpus indicus (narra) — Species Profiles for Pacific Island Agroforestry — Thomson, L.A.J. (2006)
Pterocarpus indicus — PROSEA, Plant Resources of South-East Asia

Common questions.

How hard is narra, and how does it work on the bench?: Narra has a Janka hardness of 1,260 lbf (a USDA Forest Products Laboratory value at 12% moisture content). It is generally easy to work despite its interlocked grain, though figured stock tears, so sharp tooling helps; it turns, carves, glues, and finishes superbly and stays dimensionally stable in service.
Can narra be used outdoors?: Yes. The heartwood is very durable, with strong decay resistance and good resistance to termites, and it is a traditional boatbuilding timber suited to exterior and ground-contact use.
Where does narra come from, and is it regulated?: Narra is native to Southeast Asia and the western Pacific, including the Philippines, where it is the national tree. As of 2024 all Pterocarpus species are listed on CITES Appendix II and the IUCN rates narra Endangered, so any cross-border movement requires permits and a verifiable chain of custody. Raw Heartwood kiln-dries its lumber to 6-8% moisture content.

From the library to your bench