Latin Name: Juglans nigra
Common Name(s): Black Walnut
Sources: Eastern United States
Characteristics
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Heartwood can range from a lighter pale brown to a dark chocolate brown with darker brown streaks. Color can sometimes have a grey, purple, or reddish cast. Sapwood is pale yellow-gray to nearly white. Figured grain patterns such as curl, crotch, and burl are also seen. |
Grain/ Texture
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Grain is usually straight, but can be irregular. Has a medium texture and moderate natural luster. |
Workability
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Typically easy to work provided the grain is straight and regular. Planer tearout can sometimes be a problem when surfacing pieces with irregular or figured grain. Glues, stains, and finishes well, (though walnut is rarely stained). Responds well to steam bending. |
Uses
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Furniture, cabinetry, gunstocks, interior paneling, veneer, turned items, and other small wooden objects and novelties. |
Availability
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Very popular and widely available, though board widths can sometimes be narrow. Considered a premium domestic hardwood, prices are in the high range for a domestic species. |