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Clicking any heading in the main data area (at right) will scroll the page back to this top position. Use the following links to jump to the associated section in the main data. Blunting Effect Boring Comments Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Kiln Schedules Light-Induced Color Change Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Painting Planing Polishing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Substitutes Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Varnishing Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Juglans nigra Trade Name Black walnut Family Name Juglandaceae Common Names American black walnut, American walnut, Black walnut, Eastern black walnut, Eastern walnut, Gun-wood, Nogal, Nogal blanco, Nogal silvestre, Nuez meca, Tocte, Tropical walnut, Walnut, Walnut tree, Wavey black walnut Regions of Distribution North America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Canada, United States Common Uses Bedroom suites, Boat building (general), Bobbins, Building materials, Cabinetmaking, Carvings, Caskets, Chairs, Chests, Coffins, Concealed parts (Furniture), Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Fixtures, Floor lamps, Fuelwood, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Gunstocks, Hatracks, Interior construction, Kitchen cabinets, Living-room suites, Millwork, Moldings, Musical instruments, Musical instruments: piano, Office furniture, Paneling , Paneling, Particleboard, Picker sticks, Plywood, Posts, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Railroad ties, Rifle stock, Rustic furniture, Shade rollers, Shingles, Shuttles, Specialty items, Spindles, Spools, Sporting Goods, Stencil & chisel blocks, Tables , Tables, Turnery, Veneer, Veneer: decorative Environmental Profile Abundant/Secure Widespread Rank of relative endangerment based on number of occurences globally. May be rare in some parts of its range Globally secure Data source is Nature Conservancy Abundant Distribution Overview Black walnut is found throughout the eastern United States. It grows as far north as southern Minnesota, southern Wisconsin, southern Michigan, and southern Ontario. Isolated populations occur in the southern half of New York, Vermont, western Massachusetts, and northwestern Connecticut. Its range extends south to northwestern Florida, and to Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana except for the Mississippi Valley and Delta regions. In the Midwest, isolated populations occur in eastern Texas, western Oklahoma, central Kansas, and southeastern South Dakota. Black walnut is cultivated in Hawaii. Grows naturally in 32 states and in southern Ontario, Canada, most abundant in Allegheny Mountains to North Carolina and Tennessee. Occasionally cultivated as ornamental in eastern United States, western and central Europe. Planted in Europe for timber. Wind pollinated. Suited to rich bottomlands and fertile hillsides from lower Hudson Valley southward, walnut will grow a few hundred miles outside its natural range, but may not bear nuts. Heartwood Color Red Brown Pink Purple Yellow Black Dark brown Purple Brown Pale brown Purplish tinge Greyish brown Brown - deep chocolate Black Sapwood Color White Yellow Brown Red Green/Grey Pink White to yellow Well defined Paler than heartwood Yellow/Brown Different than heartwood It is a common practice to steam or stain the sapwood to match its color with that of the heartwood. Grain Figure Straight Distinct (figure) Burrs (figure) Very fine Wavy Stripe (figure) Mottled (figure) Closed Even Growth rings (figure) Irregular Straight Figure shows burrs Figure occurrence is very fine and distinct Distinct figure Wavy Striped figure Mottled figure Open Occasionally wavy Irregular Curly Clear growth rings (figure) Pore arrangement is similar to that in the Hickories (Carya) and Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana ), but the pores are smaller. The wood is famous for its wavy, curly and mottled figures which are obtained from burls, crotches and stumpwood. Texture Coarse Fine Medium Coarse Uniform Medium coarse to coarse Fine Luster Medium High Dull Develops a lustrous patina after many years in use. Natural Durability Susceptible to insect attack Moderately durable Non-resistant to powder post beetles Non-resistant to termites Perishable Non-durable Durable Non-resistant to marine borers Sapwood non-resistant to furniture beetles Resistant to powder post beetles Very durable Durable Moderately durable Resistant to insect and fungal attack Moderately resistant to termite (Isoptera) attack Odor Tasteless Mild odor, when worked Light-Induced Color Change Darker Toxicity Some toxic effects Kiln Schedules Dry at a slow speed Air-dry as thoroughly as possible before kiln drying Drying Defects Distortion Splitting Checking Moderate collapse and honeycombing Slight surface checking Ring failure due to wetwood Iron stains due to extractives Honeycombing possible Collapse Checking due to severe drying Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Variable Rapidly Reconditioning Treatement Easy Dries slowly Difficult Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries quickly Drying rate is fairly rapid to fast Tree Identification Bole/stem form is straight Tree Size Bole length is 20-30 m Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Tree height is 40-50 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Tree height is 30-40 m Bole length is 10-20 m Sapwood width is 5-10 cm Sapwood width is 0-5 cm Tree height is 50-60 m Tree height is 60-70 m Trunk diameter is 200-250 cm Sapwood width is 10-15 cm Tree height is 20-30 m Trunk diameter is 250-300 cm Trunk diameter is 300-350 cm The mature tree is described as rather large. Boles are often clear of branches Product Sources Although Black walnut lumber is available, supplies are not as abundant as they once were, and its use is down because of high prices. American black walnut, which produces the greatest variety of figure types than any other tree, demands a high price because it is so well respected that buyers are not deterred by the price. Substitutes Crabwood (Carapa guianensis) is similar in density. Koa (Acacia koa), Aningre (Aningeria altissima, Aningeria robusta), and Ekop (Tetraberlinia tubmaniana) have similar properties.(moulding props.) Mansonia (Mansonia altissima) is similar in strength and has superior bending and resistance to shock properties. Mutenye (Guibourtia arnoldiana G. ehie), Tchitola (Oxystigma oxyphyllum) and Imbuia (Phoebe porosa) are good veneer substitutes. Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Walnut is rated as the primary American wood for cabinetry, and is superior to all other woods for gunstock because it keeps its shape, it is relatively light in weight, and can absorb shocks rather well. The wood is strong and can withstand extra weight with little deflection or bending. Its strength properties are more than enough for the uses which it is employed, and is stronger than White oak. Color and figure are reported to vary considerably within species, and color variation between boards is also significant, particularly in lower grade materials and boards that are poorly steamed before kiln-drying. Blunting Effect Moderate Little Moderate effect Boring Fair to good results Fairly difficult to very difficult Very good properties Percent of bored pieces reported to produce good to excellent results = 100 Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Cutting Resistance with green wood is easy Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy Easy to saw Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Easy to glue Fair to satisfactory gluing properties Mortising Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fair to Good Results The wood has exceptional mortising properties. (Percent of mortised pieces reported to yield fair to excellent results = 98) Moulding Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fair to Good Results Poor moulding properties Expected number of moulded pieces out of one hundred producing good to excellent results = 34 Movement in Service Excellent Stability - Small Movement Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Stable Small Shows only small movement after manufacture Dimensionally stable after seasoning It is reported to absorb and give off moisture more slowly than most woods Nailing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Pre-Boring Recommended Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Holds nails well Percent of pieces free from complete splits in nailing operations = 50 Planing Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Irregular grain is liable to pick up and may be difficult to plane Fairly easy to work Average number of planed pieces out of one hundred reported to yield perfect results = 62 Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Responds Readily Easy to machine Works well with hand tools Moderate working qualities Routing & Recessing Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Sanding Responds well to sanding operations Leaves a clean, smooth surface Screwing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Pre-boring recommended Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results