    
Black walnut (Juglans nigra)
Family: 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
Distributed in: Canada, United States (North America)
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.
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
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.
Environment profile: Widespread
Tree size: Trunk diameter is 300-350 cm
Colors: the heart isRed, Yellowand the sapwoodYellow, Yellow/Brown .The grain isWavy, the textureUniformand the lusterMedium
Natural durability: Susceptible to insect attack, Very durable
Odor: Tasteless
LightInduced Color Change: Darker
Kiln Schedules: Dry at a slow speed
Air-dry as thoroughly as possible before kiln drying
Kiln Drying Rate: Naturally dries quickly
Drying Defects: Slight surface checking, Splitting
Ease of Drying: Variable
Tree Identification: Bole/stem form is straight
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 effect
Boring: Very good properties
Cutting Resistance: Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw
Gluing: Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Mortising: Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Moulding: Poor moulding properties
Movement in Service: Poor moulding properties
Nailing: Pre-Boring Recommended, Very Good to Excellent
Planing: Irregular grain is liable to pick up and may be difficult to plane
Resistance to Impregnation: Resistant sapwood
Response to hand tools: Works well with hand tools
Routing recessing: Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Sanding: Responds well to sanding operations
Veneering qualities: Veneers easily, Veneers moderately easy
Steam bending: Unsuitable
Screwing: Pre-boring recommended, Very Good to Excellent Results; Turning: Very easy to turn
Painting: Takes paint well ; Polishing: Very Good to Excellent; Staining: Very good staining properties; Varnishing: Varnished easily after filling
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- Numerical data Metric
- Numerical data English
- Strength properties
- References
 |
 |
 |
 |
Item |
Green |
Dry |
Metric |
Specific Gravity |
0,48 |
0,55 |
|
Density |
|
641 |
kg/m3 |
Bending Strength |
653 |
1042 |
kg/cm2 |
Crushing Strength |
38 |
77 |
kg/cm2 |
Hardness |
|
459 |
kg |
Impact Strength |
131 |
101 |
cm |
Shearing Strength |
|
111 |
kg/cm2 |
Stiffness |
100 |
119 |
1000 kg/cm2 |
Tangential Shrinkage |
7 |
|
% |
Radial Shrinkage |
4 |
|
% |
Weight |
689 |
608 |
kg/m3 |
Maximum Load |
0,84 |
0,91 |
cm-kg/cm3 |
Toughness |
|
|
cm-kg |
Static Bending |
303 |
627 |
kg/cm2 |
|
 |  |  |  | Item | Green | Dry | English | Bending Strength | 9300 | 14831 | psi | Crushing Strength | 549 | 1103 | psi | Density | | 40 | lbs/ft3 | Hardness | | 1012 | lbs | Impact Strength | 52 | 40 | inches | Maximum Crushing Strength | 4276 | 7330 | psi | Shearing Strength | | 1590 | psi | Static Bending | 4312 | 8918 | psi | Stiffness | 1433 | 1695 | 1000 psi | Work to Maximum Load | 12 | 13 | inch-lbs/in3 | Specific Gravity | 0.48 | 0.55 | | Weight | 43 | 38 | lbs/ft3 | Radial Shrinkage | 4 | | % | Tangential Shrinkage | 7 | | % | Volumetric Shrinkage | 14 | | % | |
Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft. 0 Max. crushing strength = medium 0 Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low Bending strength (MOR) = medium Hardness (side grain) = soft Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. Toughness-Hammer drop (Impact Strength) = medium Shrinkage, Radial = small Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = medium Max. crushing strength (stiffness) = very low Toughness-Hammer drop (Impact Strength) = low Shrinkage, Tangential = small Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Max. crushing strength = high Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft.
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