Black Walnut

Black Walnut (Juglans nigra)

Common Name(s): Black Walnut

Scientific Name: Juglans nigra

Distribution: Eastern United States

Tree Size: 120 ft (37 m) tall, 3 ft (1 m) trunk diameter

Average Dried Weight: 41 lbs/ft³ (655 kg/m³)

Basic Specific Gravity: .51

Hardness: 1,010 lb_f (4,490 N)

Bending Strength: 14,600 lb_f/in² (100,700 kPa)

Elasticity: 1,680,000 lb_f/in² (11,590 MPa)

Shrinkage: Radial: 5.5%, Tangential: 7.8%, Volumetric: 12.8%, T/R Ratio: 1.4

Color/Appearance: 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 nearly white.

Grain/Pore: Has a medium texture and mid-sized pores which may require filling for a smooth finish. The grain is usually straight, but can be irregular. Black Walnut can occasionally also be found with figured grain patterns such as: curly, crotch, and burl.

Durability: Black Walnut is rated as very durable in terms of decay resistance, though it is susceptible to insect attack.

Workability: 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).

Smell: Black Walnut has a faint, mild odor when being worked.

Safety: Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, Black Walnut has been reported as a sensitizer. Usually most common reactions simply include eye and skin irritation. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.

Price Range: Black Walnut is priced higher than most other domestic hardwoods, but is still affordable for many projects. The price should compare similarly with Black Cherry—another premium domestic species.

Comments: Black Walnut is a very popular domestic hardwood for woodworking projects. It’s one of only a few domestic woods that has a naturally dark color, and it also has good shock resistance and strength properties.

Some common uses for Black Walnut include: furniture, cabinets, gunstocks, interior paneling, veneer, turned items, and other small wooden objects and novelties.

Related Species:

Butternut (Juglans cinerea)

Claro Walnut (Juglans hindsii)

English Walnut (Juglans regia)

Peruvian Walnut (Juglans spp.)