American Black Walnut

If you want to make a statement, the American Black Walnut is unquestionably one of the finest woods in the world. Our forefathers sought this wood out and used it lavishly in their homes, barns and fences. The Walnut has burly grain patterns which give this wood floor an exotic appearance. Black Walnut, is usually finished in its natural rich, brown color. Over the years the wood develops a lustrous patina. Dark and rich the American Black Walnut is made for luxury.

Botanical Name: Jugians Nigra. The Black Walnut is a flowering tree of the hickory family, Junglandaceae.

Nicknames: Eastern Black Walnut

Growth	The Black Walnut is a large deciduous tree native to eastern North America and Central America, and typically grows in mixed hardwood forests with light coverage. In North America, it is found in the area ranging from the Appalachian mountains in the northeast United States to parts of southern Ontario, Canada. Isolated wild trees in the Upper Ottawa Valley may be a native population. There are about twenty species of walnut with six found in the United States. Black walnuts were once abundant in old growth forests with trees reaching 150 feet and six foot diameter trunks. Today's trees in natural growth forests are about 80-100 feet tall with trunks less than three feet.
Colour	In color it is a dark, tawny brown for the heartwood, while the sapwood is very light, grayish white. Due to its variety in color shadings, walnut is usually finished in its natural rich, brown color. Over the years the wood develops a lustrous patina. It is the only dark brown domestic species in North America.
Grain	A walnut wood floor is predominately straight grained, and is a hard wood with an open-grain and fine texture. There is the occasional burly pattern if the wood has been cut close to a limb. In fact, it is the burly grain patterns that give a walnut wood floor its exotic appearance and customer appeal. Black walnut, normally straight grained is noted for its beautiful grain character, and produces more variation than any other specie creating a beautiful effect.
Stability	Walnut wood floors are one of the most stable, thus a particularly good choice in environments where humidity is not as well controlled as you might like. This makes it suitable for over radiant heating systems as well.
Hardness	Walnut ranks 1,010 on the Janka hardness scale. Maple is over 1400 and exotic woods like Brazilian Cherry are over 2500. Often a satin finish is preferred for the top coat to make the eventual dings and dents, if you choose this for a high traffic area, somewhat less noticeable. Walnut has a deep chocolate tone throughout the entire thickness of the wood. The fact that walnut has consistent colour throughout, means you do not have to worry about a lighter colour being exposed underneath. When Walnut is damaged, the defect doesn't show up much due to the dark color of the wood and its dense texture.
Fun Facts	Can poison neighbouring trees and shrubs with a substance called juglone in its roots ~ does this to protect its territory and assure good sunlight From cakes and candies to chicken and seafood, the black walnut is a wonderful and flavourful addition to many baking and cooking recipes The green husks of the black walnuts are used for medicinal purposes

American Black Walnut Diamond Standard Ratings


Janka 1010	Select & Better Character	Low Sheen	Harvested in North America

Superior Flooring by Herwynen Sawmill

American Black Walnut