Let the slabs air-dry until the wood is dried to less than 20% moisture content. This will take some time (years) so be patient. Once the wood moisture content is below 20% it can be slowly dried in a kiln to something around 10 or 11%. It is now safe to work the wood into a table top.
Species such as maple and walnut dry at an intermediate rate, ie a 1” walnut board air dried in the south in the summer time will dry in about 120 days, and species such as oak, mesquite, and hickory dry very slowly (ie 1” per year).
Walnut won't give you any trouble in the drying process. Just put your slabs on sticks, cover with some sheet metal and check it now and then to see if rain is getting in. Cut away any wood that shows signs of bugs.
After washing and sorting, allow the nuts to dry for two or three weeks.
Let the slabs air-dry until the wood is dried to less than 20% moisture content. This will take some time (years) so be patient. Once the wood moisture content is below 20% it can be slowly dried in a kiln to something around 10 or 11%. It is now safe to work the wood into a table top.
You can dry them outside on the ground in a single layer, so long as the sun is shining and nighttime temperatures are agreeable, though you may need to cover them with a plastic net to deter walnut scavenging birds. If you have space in your greenhouse, you could dry them inside on a table or screen.
The kernel of a young, only torn walnut has a light color, after lying for several days, the kernel it darkens a little. This is a natural and normal process. After drying, the kernel takes on its permanent color.
Curing and Drying
Now that you're done there, it's time to let them cure and dry. Spread out the wet, fresh-washed nuts on a screen or place with good air circulation, preferably in the sun, until the moisture is all gone. Stir the nuts once or twice to make sure all the sides get dry.
It penetrates deep into the wood grain and then hardens, giving you a longer-lasting finish that will not evaporate like mineral oil finishes. Walnut oil hardens into a food-safe, satin finish for bowls, untreated butcher block, utensils, and other natural wood products.
The best finish for walnut is a clear one. Several coats of Danish oil provide clarity. For protection, add a compatible clear topcoat.
General Finishes EF Sanding Sealer is a high quality acrylic waterborne sanding sealer that builds fast and makes sanding smooth and easy. For wood with large, open grain, such as walnut or mahogany, sanding sealer is especially handy as a final fill after most of the grain has been evened out with grain filler.
1. Oil-Based Finishes: these finishes penetrate deep into the wood fibers, bringing out the rich colors and unique grain patterns of walnut. 2. Water-Based Finishes: These finishes offer excellent durability and protection for walnut.
Pros: Walnut is a very strong and stable wood that can take intricate carving. The color can be beautiful. Cons: Some may not like the variation from dark to light that's sometimes found on a single wide board. Walnut is also one of the more costly woods.
Unlike cherry, maple, and oak (which all darken in color as they age), walnut wood will actually lighten slightly over time.
Is wood conditioner necessary? Wood conditioner is not necessary. You can stain perfectly fine without it. However, as you will see with my test pieces below, using a pre stain conditioner results in smoother finishes, especially when using dark wood stain colors on light, soft woods.
Though walnuts can be eaten as it is by removing the outer shell, the best way to have them is by soaking overnight. Just soak 2-4 walnut pieces overnight in a cup of water and have them first thing in the morning. Soaking walnuts helps in reducing the bad cholesterol levels in the body.
Shruti Bharadwaj, Senior Clinical Dietician, Narayana Hrudayalaya says soaking walnuts helps improve their digestibility and also remove phytic acid and tannin. "Soaking can also help prevent indigestion as it helps reduce gas forming compounds. It also reduces polyphenols and increase nutrient availability.
Start by soaking nuts in water for one to two hours; then drain and keep the nuts moist overnight in an airtight container. If shells still seem brittle, soak them in hot tap water just before cracking. Another approach is the personal frustration therapy technique. Place about 100 nuts in a burlap or heavy-duty sack.
Direct exposure to sunlight over a long time will change the coloring chemicals of walnut and cause the reduction of their dark brown color. Also, the level of exposure will increase the speed of the color shift from dark to pale. However, walnut furniture fades like mad in sunlight.
English Walnut Vs Black Walnut Wood: English walnut presents a lighter shade, with a consistent grain pattern, whereas black walnut is darker and its grain appears to be uneven. Both varieties of lumber are resilient and can be employed for various ventures; however, black walnut is denser and more robust.
Special Walnut by Minwax (also available here!) is a lighter, brown walnut color. I found it to be similar to Early American but with more muted brown tones and no red tones. I've seen it used on flooring and it's another very versatile stain color.
Once you are done harvesting the walnuts, you can eat them right away, but keep in mind they won't be quite like those purchased ones at the grocers. The nuts will be rubbery in texture and are, thus, usually dried which also extends their shelf life.
Place the walnuts above a furnace or radiator, or any place with air circulation that will reach a temperature of at least 95 degrees. Ideally, the nuts should not be in a temperature above 105 degrees. Drying time in this temperature range will take about three to four days.
Walnuts should be soaked because doing so makes them easier for the body to digest than eating them raw. The phytic acid found in nuts, which is reduced by soaking walnuts, contributes to increased absorption as well. Raw walnut digestion may be more difficult for those with weak gut.