Black Walnut
Juglans nigra • Hardwood
Grain Pattern
Usually straight, but can be irregular or interlocked; provides highly figured patterns like cathedral on flat-sawn surfaces and some curl or crotch figure in branch junctions.
Color Description
Heartwood ranges from light brown to dark chocolate brown with darker brown streaks. Sapwood is pale yellow-gray to nearly white. Color tends to lighten and take on a golden hue over time.
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 specialty small wood items.
Geographic Origin
Eastern United States and Southern Ontario, Canada.
Market Value & Sustainability
Estimated Market Value
$8.00 - $15.00 per board foot (varies significantly by width, grade, and figure).
Wood Age Estimate
Freshly felled/cut (Green wood); indicated by the moisture content visible on the end grain, light-colored sawdust, and lack of oxidation on the sapwood.
Sustainability Status
Not listed in CITES Appendices or on the IUCN Red List; generally considered sustainable but threatened in some areas by Thousand Cankers Disease.
Workability
Excellent workability with both hand and machine tools; planes and sands easily. It glues, stains, and finishes well, though it can have a dulling effect on cutting edges.
Notable Features
Distinctive mild, spicy scent when worked. Contains juglone which can be an irritant. Prized for its dimensional stability and shock resistance.
Finish Recommendations
Oil-based finishes (tung or linseed) enhance the deep color; polyurethane for durability. Best to seal the sapwood if a uniform dark look is desired.
Identification Confidence
High; the combination of chocolate-brown heartwood, distinct creamy sapwood, deeply furrowed bark, and semi-ring-porous end grain is characteristic of Juglans nigra.