Black Walnut
Juglans nigra · Hardwood
- Type
- Hardwood
- Origin
- Eastern and Midwestern North America.
- Hardness
- 1,010 lbf (Medium)
- Durability
- Durable; heartwood has excellent resistance to decay and rot, though the sapwood edge is susceptible to insect attack (powder-post beetles visible along outer edges).
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Grain Pattern
Straight to slightly wavy face grain with flat-sawn cathedral patterns in the center zone, fine to medium texture, and live-edge sections showing bark/sapwood inclusions.
Color & Appearance
Heartwood ranges from light chocolate brown to yellowish-tan in weathered areas, with pale yellowish-white to grayish sapwood along the live edges. Colors tend to lighten and turn golden-brown over time with light exposure.
Hardness (Janka)
1,010 lbf (Medium)
Durability & Decay Resistance
Durable; heartwood has excellent resistance to decay and rot, though the sapwood edge is susceptible to insect attack (powder-post beetles visible along outer edges).
Value & Sustainability
- Estimated Market Value
- $8.00 to $15.00 per board foot for rough-sawn live-edge stock.
- Wood Age Estimate
- Rough-sawn lumber cut within the last 5 to 20 years, exhibiting natural oxidation, dry rot, and insect channels along the unplaned outer sapwood.
- Sustainability Status
- Least Concern (IUCN Red List). Widely available from sustainable forestry and domestic harvests in North America; not listed on CITES.
Common Uses
Furniture making, cabinetry, live-edge slab tables, decorative woodturning, interior trim, and gunstocks.
Geographic Origin
Eastern and Midwestern North America.
Workability
Generally easy to work with both hand and machine tools. Planes and turns smoothly, glues and finishes exceptionally well, though interlocked grain areas may cause mild tearout.
Finish Recommendations
Thoroughly brush or stabilize soft sapwood edges. Apply penetrating oil finishes (Tung oil, Danish oil, or Osmo Hardwax-Oil) to emphasize grain depth, topped with clear polyurethane or lacquer for protection.
Notable Features
Distinctive faint sweet smell when worked. High color contrast between light sapwood and dark heartwood. Visible insect boring galleries in the soft outer sapwood edge.
