Colours vary according to the pattern and ratio between light and dark wood, but the overall effect is usually a mid to deep brown with hints of red.
Burr Walnut describes the swirling figure that can be found in virtually all walnut wood when it has been cut and polished. It is particularly prevalent in wood taken from a tree's base where it meets the root.
Walnut is a close grained hard wood, the colour varying between light golden brown and light grey brown, often with a rich grain pattern. Burr Walnut is the term for walnut with knotty whorls in the grain where injuries occurred on the trunk or the roots of the tree.
First things first: what is burr wood? The burr is a growth deformation the result of stress, disease or nurturing the Walnut tree in a very special way. The burr can be developed by blocking the sap-flow of the tree, by means of putting a French Walnut on top of the roots of an American Walnut.
A wood burl happens when a tree has a growth or deformity due to infestation or illness (some kind of stress). It's found in oak, maple, walnut, cherry, ash, redwood, and other tree species. It's usually found in the roots, curled branches, or large rounded “warts” on the tree.
Because of their rarity, burrs are often very expensive and will be used in furniture in both a solid and veneer form.
A dark dusty pink in the form of Burlwood by Pantone creates an enveloping and comforting space. Pantone is the world's foremost leader in colour. The Pantone Collection from Fleetwood Paints brings together an incredible richness and depth of colour.
We in the UK call it burr, our American cousins call it burl. As we are British lets go with burr. Burr wood can lead to some stunning grain patterns as you can see from a polished sample of some European Walnut.
1 tablespoon white vinegar. 3 tablespoons olive oil. Mix together in a jar. Using a rag, apply small amounts of the solution to the furniture, gently working off the dirt and grime and restoring the polish to your walnut wood furniture.
Burl wood is generally more expensive than other types of wood because of its beauty and scarcity. Since burl wood only grows when trees form exterior burls, they are harder to find when compared to other types of wood.
Grade: First and Seconds (FAS)
Above grade Walnut can be found in wide and long boards, but you will pay a premium for it. This is the highest grade, and NHLA states for all lumber the following: 83.3% clear of defect on both faces.
The Black Walnut is one of the most expensive and lucrative trees to sell, thanks to its high-quality dark wood.
Black walnuts have higher levels of antioxidants, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and other health-promoting compounds than the more common English walnuts, making them useful in reducing the risk of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.
Black walnut Juglans nigra
J. nigra, or black walnut, is one of the rarest and most valuable hardwood species in North America. The trees can grow to 30 or 40 m in height; under forest conditions, where the trees must compete for light, it grows a tall, straight trunk.
Learn the identification characteristics of the invasive tree-of-heaven and be able to distinguish it from the native look-alikes, black walnut and staghorn sumac. Tree-of-heaven is an invasive tree species. It reproduces prolifically, making it hard to manage and control.
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.
Harvesting and storing
The nuts develop in a pitted shell surrounded by a fibrous, leathery casing which splits when the nuts ripen in autumn. Nuts can be eaten at this stage but tend to have a rubbery texture. Usually it is better to dry them which will also mean they keep well.
The shells of several types of nuts, including walnuts and hazelnuts, have a very dark natural color. Dark-shelled nuts that are harvested for food use are routinely bleached to make the shells much whiter in color and thus more commercially desirable.
Besides, soaking walnuts also improves their texture," says Bharadwaj. "Just soak 2-4 walnut pieces overnight in a cup of water and have them. You can have it at bed time with a glass of milk," says Dr Patel. Dr Bharadwaj says 5-6 hours of soaking is best.
This is due to walnut wood being one of the most expensive wood types available on the market, reflecting its rarity and exclusivity. As a result, walnut burl will be even pricier than standard walnut wood. Redwood burl is quite expensive, but it is nowhere near as costly as a walnut burl!
A burl results from a tree undergoing some form of stress. It may be caused by an injury, virus or fungus. Most burls grow beneath the ground, attached to the roots as a type of malignancy that is generally not discovered until the tree dies or falls over.
History and Characteristics of Rustic Walnut
The heartwood can vary in color from a pale brown to a darker chocolate brown with darker brown streaks. The sapwood is pale yellow-gray to nearly white. Generally the wood is easy to work with with planer tearout causing problems sometimes with irregular or figured grain.
Known for their unique appearance and organic look, burl wood furniture pieces are growing in popularity (or so some retailers believe). This style emerged during the Art Deco era in the '20s and reached peak popularity in the '70s, and it is now being called trendy again.
Identify burls as rounded protrusions from, or rings around, the trunk. Most burls look like bark-covered balls that are partially embedded into the trunk. Some are the size of tennis balls or even smaller, while rare finds can be larger than a beach ball.
“Burl wood seamlessly blends traditional and modern aesthetics,” says lead designer Brady Burke. “Wood furniture is – and always will be – a timeless staple, but burl wood adds a more unique, almost eclectic twist to classic silhouettes.”