Black Walnut
Juglans nigra · Hardwood
- Type
- Hardwood
- Origin
- Eastern North America (central and eastern United States)
- Hardness
- 1,010 lbf (Medium)
- Durability
- Very Durable (highly resistant to heartwood decay, rot, and fungi, though sapwood is susceptible to insect attack).
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Grain Pattern
Irregular and swirly face grain around a natural knot/branch center, transitions into straight/wavy flat-sawn grain towards the outer heartwood; displays open-pored earlywood texture and subtle crotch figure near the swirl.
Color & Appearance
Heartwood ranges from light chocolate brown to dark yellowish-brown with purplish undertones and prominent dark growth ring streaks; sapwood (visible at the top-right corner) is a sharply contrasting pale off-white to cream yellow.
Hardness (Janka)
1,010 lbf (Medium)
Durability & Decay Resistance
Very Durable (highly resistant to heartwood decay, rot, and fungi, though sapwood is susceptible to insect attack).
Value & Sustainability
- Estimated Market Value
- $12.00 to $18.00 per board foot for wide/figured live-edge lumber slabs.
- Wood Age Estimate
- Recently milled raw lumber slab (estimated tree age at harvest: 40-80 years; slab prepared/sanded within the last few years).
- Sustainability Status
- IUCN Red List status: Least Concern. Not CITES listed. Widely available from sustainable domestic forestry in North America.
Common Uses
Fine furniture, high-end cabinetry, gunstocks, turned objects, live-edge slabs, decorative veneers, and musical instruments.
Geographic Origin
Eastern North America (central and eastern United States)
Workability
Excellent workability with both hand and machine tools. Glues, sands, and finishes exceptionally well. Care needed around figured/swirled knots to prevent tearout during planing.
Finish Recommendations
Thrives under penetrating oil finishes (Tung oil, Danish oil, hardwax oil) to highlight grain depth, followed by polyurethane or lacquer for added protection. Pre-seal sapwood/heartwood transition if uniform color is desired, though natural contrast is usually preferred.
Notable Features
Mild, distinct wood odor when worked. Rich dark heartwood/sapwood color contrast. Contains natural juglone compound. Moderate weight with excellent dimensional stability.
