Black Walnut
Juglans nigra
Hardness
Medium-hard; a versatile range for most furniture.
Overview
America's premier furniture wood. Rich chocolate color straight off the tree, a dream to work, and stable once dry.
Commonly built
- Live-edge dining tables
- Gunstocks
- Jewelry boxes
- Mid-century furniture
- Cutting boards (accent)
Appearance
Deep chocolate brown, sometimes with purple or gray streaks; lighter sapwood.
Recommended uses
Uses to avoid
Similar species
Comparable on hardness, type, and workability, useful when this species isn't available.
Working notes
Works beautifully with hand and power tools, glues and finishes superbly. No stain needed, oil finish makes the color glow. Color can lighten with UV exposure over years.
Common questions
How hard is Black Walnut?
Black Walnut has a Janka hardness of 1010 lbf, a measure of how well it resists denting and wear.
Is Black Walnut suitable for outdoor use?
Black Walnut is best used indoors; it is not naturally suited to sustained outdoor or wet conditions.
How easy is Black Walnut to work with?
Black Walnut has Excellent workability for cutting, shaping, and joinery.
Finishing notes
Needs no stain, its natural chocolate color is the whole point, and an oil or oil/varnish finish makes it glow. Moderately open grain can be filled for a smooth film finish or left for a more natural look. Sapwood is pale and sometimes steamed at the mill to blend it. Expect the rich brown to lighten and mellow toward honey under UV over years; a UV-inhibiting finish slows this on pieces near windows.
Community photos
Real photos from woodworkers who've used black walnut, reviewed before they appear here.
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Wood data varies by source and sample. How we source and review our data.