AMERICAN CHESTNUT WOOD
American Chestnut comprised over 60% of the eastern hardwood forests when the first settlers arrived in North America. Due to its wonderful stable disposition, chestnut was used for every utility purpose by the colonials. At the turn of the 20th century American Chestnut came under distress from the chestnut blight and by 1920 almost all of the chestnut trees were dead. Today the American Chestnut Society is doing wonderful work restoring the species by breeding blight resistant trees.
- Most Chestnut lumber is reclaimed material – Cut from old timber beams. These beams are de-nailed and resawn into boards for sale
- This rustic look is very prized and widely used in old homes
- Usually the more defects the better and is prized when full of worm holes
- Has a coarse texture with a beautiful golden-brown color
- Very stable, light weight wood
Characteristics of American Chestnut
| Origin of Wood Type | USA & Canada |
| Botanical Name | Castanea dentata |
| Specific Gravity | 0.48 |
| Avg. Weight Per BF | 2.5 lb/ft |
| Color Range | Blonde – Gold – Brown |
| Rarity / Availability | Reclaimed Material – please call for availability 1-888-814-0007 |
| Typical Avg. Width | 3″ to 8 1/2″, rarely found 9″ to 15″ |
| Typical Avg. Length | 8′ to 12′ feet, rarely found up to 16′ |
| Avg. Waste Factor | 0.5 |
| Wood Uses | Posts, Rafters, Beams, Flooring, Furniture, Picture Frame Moldings, Restoration |
| Lumber Grades | Wormy, Unselected, Timbers / Beams |
| Other Trade Names | Wormy Chestnut, Reclaimed Chestnut |
American Chestnut Lumber Detailed Pricing:
| Thickness | Grade | Figure Type | Grain Orientation | Width Range | Length Range | Price Per BF |
| 4/4 | Reclaimed | None | Mix | 3.00″ to 7.50″ | 48.00″ to 144.00″ | $18.00 |
| 4/4 | Reclaimed | None | Mix | 8.00″ to 10.50″ | 48.00″ to 144.00″ | $20.00 |
| 4/4 | Reclaimed Wormy | None | Mix | 3.00″ to 7.50″ | 48.00″ to 144.00″ | $18.00 |
| 4/4 | Reclaimed Wormy | None | Mix | 8.00″ to 10.50″ | 48.00″ to 144.00″ | $20.00 |
| 5/4 | Reclaimed | None | Mix | 3.00″ to 7.50″ | 48.00″ to 144.00″ | $18.00 |
| 5/4 | Reclaimed | None | Mix | 8.00″ to 10.50″ | 48.00″ to 144.00″ | $20.00 |
| 5/4 | Reclaimed Wormy | None | Mix | 3.00″ to 7.50″ | 48.00″ to 144.00″ | $18.00 |
| 5/4 | Reclaimed Wormy | None | Mix | 8.00″ to 10.50″ | 48.00″ to 144.00″ | $20.00 |
| 8/4 | Reclaimed | None | Mix | 3.00″ to 7.50″ | 48.00″ to 144.00″ | $18.00 |
| 8/4 | Reclaimed | None | Mix | 8.00″ to 10.50″ | 48.00″ to 144.00″ | $20.00 |
| 8/4 | Reclaimed Wormy | None | Mix | 3.00″ to 7.50″ | 48.00″ to 144.00″ | $18.00 |
| 8/4 | Reclaimed Wormy | None | Mix | 8.00″ to 10.50″ | 48.00″ to 144.00″ | $20.00 |
Sample Photos of American Chestnut
Please Note: The photos below are examples of the species and may no longer be products available for sale.
All pictures of wood that appear wet, have been sprayed with denatured alcohol to show the natural color. We use denatured alcohol because it evaporates and does not affect the moisture content.
