Hardwood · Eastern United States

Black Walnut

Juglans nigra

Rich chocolate brown heartwood, pale sapwood.

Janka hardness1,010 lbf

Density (12% MC)38.0 lb/ft³

Weight per board foot3.2 lb

Rot resistanceHigh

Workability5/5

Price$$$

Hardness compared

White pine Yellow Poplar Black Cherry Black Walnut Red Oak Hard Maple Shagbark Hickory Jatoba

Works beautifully with hand and power tools. An oil finish makes the colour pop. Dust can irritate skin and lungs.

Typical uses: Fine furniture, gunstocks, cutting boards, turnings.

Tangential coefficient (flatsawn)	0.00274 per 1% MC
Radial coefficient (quartersawn)	0.00190 per 1% MC
T/R ratio	1.44 (stays flat well)
12" flatsawn board, 6% → 11% MC	0.164" (≈ 4.2 mm)

Project Plans Advanced

3 min readOct 17, 2026