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.
Characteristics: Well known for its characteristic dark coloured wood with attractive grain patterns, Walnut is a dense and strong wood that is highly desired for expensive furniture and carpentry. Uses: Walnut is commonly used for furniture, musical instruments, carvings, trims and veneers.
After all, they're both materials that are popularly used for hardwood flooring. That being said, oak is a slightly stronger hardwood product than walnut. Oak is one of the stronger and more durable natural wood options available for kitchen cabinets.
In addition to its natural beauty, walnut wood is a popular choice for flooring due to its rich and warm colour. It also boasts natural resistance to termites and moisture, and can last for a long time.
Walnut is rated at a 1010 on the Janka Hardness Scale. European Oak is a 1360 on the same scale. This means that Oak is more durable than Walnut and will stand up better against constant use and daily wear and tear.
Australian Buloke – 5,060 IBF
Known as the hardest wood in the world, this particular type has a Janka hardness of 5,060 lbf.
A: Walnut flooring can show scratches, scuffs and dents over time due to its relatively soft nature as a hardwood. Proper maintenance and cleaning will help keep your floors looking new.
A walnut countertop will be waterproof after it is sealed properly. With the proper care, your walnut wood will not warp or cup either. Walnut is known for its strength and stability. It has a distinctive color and is relatively easy to maintain.
Choose non-wood materials or use chemically treated woods or wood types that termites least prefer. Woods such as teak, redwood, Eastern red cedar, black walnut and bald cypress are less susceptible to termite infestations.
Walnut is lovely wood, especially when carefully air dried so as to preserve the rich chocolate, purple and black tones in the best of it. HOWEVER, It fades like mad in sunlight. Furniture is touched by sunlight. Therefore, the lovely colors of the walnut go away — and it doesn't take centuries.
It's prized by woodworkers for its strength, grain and color. It polishes to a very smooth finish, and the color ranges from creamy white in the sapwood to a dark chocolate in the heartwood. Over the years, natural walnut wood develops a lustrous patina.
Due to its premium quality, unique beauty and durability, walnut is considered a high-end wood. In fact, walnut is considered one of the most luxurious non-exotic woods available for home furniture. Walnut is highly desired for its rich, chocolate-brown color, and lends a feeling of luxury to any space.
Grade: First and Seconds (FAS)
This is the highest grade, and NHLA states for all lumber the following: 83.3% clear of defect on both faces.
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.
The Black Walnut is one of the most expensive and lucrative trees to sell, thanks to its high-quality dark wood. The tree ranges from $5- $10 per board foot, although it can cost more depending on other factors. In most cases, your 20-inch tree can fetch you $700- $800.
For its stability and ease of workability, Walnut is highly prized and valued among joinery, cabinet and furniture makers. It is also used in the manufacture of veneer for musical instruments, interior decoration and hardwood flooring.
However, they do prefer to snack on the cellulose found in specific types of wood. Among the types of wood that termites are most drawn to include: Untreated softwoods such as pine, cedar, cypress and fir.
To deter the pests, homeowners can obtain heartwood-grade lumber for construction projects. Termites also tend to avoid specific species of trees such as redwoods, yellow cedar, Laotian teak, and cypress. However, these types of wood are not as long-lasting as treated lumber.
Termites never stop eating wood because they feed on wood to survive. However, it has been found that termites do not like the smell of cedarwood, geranium, tea tree oil, cinnamon, clove bud, and garlic oils. Termites have antennae to smell and communicate for the food source instead of a nose like human beings.
Care and Maintenance of Walnut
All walnut pieces need a good regular dusting. It's best to avoid commercial cleaners. These can leave residue on lacquered wood or damage oil and wax finishes. Oil finished furniture does best with the application of natural linseed oil once a year.
Just about every popular wood is described as “warp-resistant.” Even among the most common species for woodworking, black walnut is known as a particularly sturdy wood that resists warping through a long lifetime of use.
Damage. The walnut husk fly is a mid- to late season pest. It occurs in all walnut-growing areas in California. Black walnut and all cultivars of English walnut are suitable hosts for the husk fly.
It has a solid grain and it's strong making it an ideal choice for dining room tables. It is very easy to repair if damaged, the table can easily be re-sanded and oiled. Walnut is moderately dense and can and will hold up to whatever you throw at it.
You can tell walnuts are turning old if they are rubbery or shriveled. They have turned rancid if they have a strange odor similar to paint thinner. Throw away rancid walnuts! Store shelled or unshelled walnuts safely in an airtight container and store in a cool, dry place.