 English Walnut (Juglans regia)
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Common Name(s): English Walnut, European Walnut, French Walnut, Common Walnut Scientific Name: Juglans regia Distribution: Eastern Europe and western Asia Tree Size: 80-115 ft (25-35 m) tall, 5-6 ft (1.5-2.0 m) trunk diameter Average Dried Weight: 41 lbs/ft3 (655 kg/m3) Hardness: 1,220 lbf (5,410 N) Rupture Strength: 16,160 lbf/in2 (111,470 kPa) Elastic Strength: 1,568,000 lbf/in2 (10,810 MPa) Crushing Strength: 7,280 lbf/in2 (50.2 MPa) Shrinkage: Radial: 5.5%, Tangential: 7.5%, Volumetric: 13.0%, 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 gray, 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. European Walnut can occasionally also be found with figured grain patterns such as: curly, crotch, and burl.
Durability: English Walnut is rated as moderately 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).
Scent: There is no characteristic odor associated with this wood species.
Safety: Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, European 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/Availability: English Walnut is likely to be rather expensive, and is sometimes only seen in veneer form.
Comments: Known in Europe simply as “Walnut,” or “Common Walnut,” English Walnut (Juglans regia) is the source of what are the most common form of edible walnuts for human consumption. Branches of English Walnut are sometimes grafted onto the trunk of Claro Walnut trees in Californian walnut orchards to take advantage of the latter tree’s roots, which are better suited to the locale and produce more fruit.
Some common uses for English Walnut include: furniture, cabinets, gunstocks, interior paneling, veneer, turned items, and other small wooden objects and novelties.
Scans/Pictures: A special thanks to Steve Earis for providing the turned photo of this wood species.
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English Walnut (sanded) |
 English Walnut (sealed) |
 English Walnut (foliage) |
 English Walnut (turned) |
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