Black Walnut
Juglans nigra • Hardwood
Grain Pattern
Mainly straight grain with some cathedral figure visible in the flat-sawn sections; medium to coarse texture with a semi-ring-porous structure.
Color Description
Heartwood ranges from a lighter pale brown to a dark chocolate brown with darker brown streaks. Sapwood is a pale yellow-gray. The wood tends to lighten and take on a golden patina with age and 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, flooring, and turned objects.
Geographic Origin
Eastern North America (United States and Canada).
Market Value & Sustainability
Estimated Market Value
$10.00 - $18.00 per board foot depending on width, figure, and local availability.
Wood Age Estimate
Freshly milled to several years old; shows minimal oxidation or deep patina, and marks suggest recent mechanical processing.
Sustainability Status
Not listed in CITES Appendices or on the IUCN Red List; widely available and generally considered sustainable across its native range.
Workability
Excellent workability with both hand and machine tools; glues, stains, and finishes very well. Can sometimes have irregular grain that causes tearout during surfacing.
Notable Features
Distinctive mild, spicy scent when being worked. Known for its rich color and excellent dimensional stability once dried. Use of dust masks is recommended as it is a known sensitizer.
Finish Recommendations
Oil-based finishes (tung oil or boiled linseed oil) are highly recommended to enhance deep chocolate tones; also takes lacquer and polyurethane well.
Identification Confidence
High; the distinctive chocolate-brown heartwood, pale sapwood contrast, live-edge bark texture, and cathedral grain figure are classic indicators of Juglans nigra.