Black Walnut
Juglans nigra • Hardwood
Grain Pattern
Usually straight, but can be irregular. Shows a medium texture and moderate natural luster. The sample displays a flat-sawn cathedral-like transition between the sapwood and heartwood.
Color Description
Heartwood ranges from a golden brown to a deep chocolate brown with darker streaks. Sapwood is a distinct pale yellowish-gray to off-white. The color tends to lighten slightly over time with UV exposure.
Hardness Rating
1,010 lbf (Medium)
Durability Rating
Very Durable; highly resistant to heartwood decay, though sapwood is susceptible to insect attack.
Common Uses
High-end furniture, cabinetry, gunstocks, interior paneling, veneer, turned objects, and small specialty wood items.
Geographic Origin
Eastern North America
Market Value & Sustainability
Estimated Market Value
$10.00 - $18.00 per board foot depending on thickness, width, and regional availability.
Wood Age Estimate
Modern rough-sawn lumber, likely processed within the last 1-5 years based on the crispness of the saw marks and lack of deep oxidation or silvering.
Sustainability Status
Not listed in the CITES Appendices or on the IUCN Red List; generally considered sustainable and widely available from FSC-certified sources.
Workability
Easy to work with both hand and machine tools. It planes well, glues, stains, and finishes excellently. It has good dimensional stability and holds nails/screws well.
Notable Features
Distinctive mild, nut-like scent when being worked. Known for its excellent strength-to-weight ratio and shock resistance. Contains juglone, which can be a mild irritant to some users.
Finish Recommendations
Responds exceptionally well to oil-based finishes (tung oil, Danish oil) which enhance the deep chocolate tones. Polyurethane or lacquer are also common for higher protection.
Identification Confidence
High; the sharp contrast between the creamy sapwood and deep chocolate heartwood, combined with the diffuse-porous grain structure visible in the rough-sawn state, is characteristic of Juglans nigra.