black walnut lumber

BLACK WALNUT WOOD

Black Walnut, also known as Walnut or American Walnut, is one of the finest North American lumber species.  Along with Mahogany and Cherry, Walnut set the standard for early American furniture.  The Walnut tree is hearty, shade tolerant, and can grow to be quite large both in width and in height.  Because it is one of the last trees to leaf and one of the first to drop its leaves, Black Walnuts are not great lawn trees.  They also give off an acidic residue that kills surrounding acid sensitive plants.  But as a lumber producer, Walnuts are superior to many other species.  The trunks grow straight and clear and yield a high percentage of FAS lumber.  The texture of Walnut lumber is peaceful, the grain can usually be worked from either direction, and it takes a rich finish.  Due to over harvesting the availability of high quality Walnut has diminished and the grading standards are more relaxed for this species.  A FAS board only has to be about 67% clear of defects while most species need to be 84% usable.
Most Walnut lumber is steamed right after it is sawn.  This darkens the sapwood by pulling the browns from the heartwood, basically homogenizing the color of the board.  We do not steam our Black Walnut, leaving all of the beautiful browns, golds and purples to tell their stories.

  • Treasured for both veneer and lumber
  • Hearty species
  • Oxidizes to a lighter color
  • Peaceful grain

*** All walnut slabs and walnut lumber can only be sold kiln dried with the bark removed.  This applies to all members of the walnut family (Juglans) which include but are not limited to Black Walnut, Butternut, English Walnut, European Walnut, Claro Walnut and Persian Walnut

Characteristics of Black Walnut

Origin of Wood Type North America, most of our stock comes from the North East USA
Botanical Name Juglans nigra
Specific Gravity 0.64
Avg. Weight Per BF 3.5
Color Range Dark Brown
Rarity / Availability Readily Available in normal widths, figured and wide slabs can be very rare!
Typical Avg. Width 4″ to 24″, can be found up to 36″ wide fairly easily, and rarely found up to 67″ wide
Typical Avg. Length 8′ to 16′
Avg. Waste Factor 0.5
Wood Uses Fine Furniture, Cabinetry, Architectural Millwork, Guitar Building / Instrument Making, Wood Turning, Boat Building, Wood Carving, Veneer, Flooring and many other uses
Lumber Grades Common 1 & 2, Select and Better, FAS, Quartersawn, Quartersawn (Figured), Flitch, Figured (Heavy), Figured (Medium), Veneer, Premium / Clear
Other Trade Names American Walnut, Eastern Walnut, Pennsylvania Walnut, Virginia Walnut

Black Walnut Lumber Detailed Pricing:

Thickness Grade Figure Type Figure Level Grain Orientation Price Per BF Width Range Length Range
4/4 Clear None 0 – Plain Flat Sawn $15.00 4.00″ to 8.50″ 72.00″ to 144.00″
4/4 Common 1 & 2 None 0 – Plain Flat Sawn $6.00 4.00″ to 8.50″ 72.00″ to 144.00″
4/4 FAS None 0 – Plain Flat Sawn $10.00 4.00″ to 8.50″ 72.00″ to 144.00″
4/4 FAS None 0 – Plain Flat Sawn $11.50 9.00″ to 11.50″ 72.00″ to 144.00″
4/4 FAS None 0 – Plain Rift & Quartered $14.00 2.00″ to 7.00″ 72.00″ to 144.00″
4/4 FAS Unselected 1 – Light Flat Sawn $15.00 4.00″ to 8.50″ 72.00″ to 144.00″
4/4 FAS Unselected 2 – Medium Flat Sawn $20.00 4.00″ to 8.50″ 72.00″ to 144.00″
4/4 FAS Unselected 3 – Heavy Flat Sawn $25.00 4.00″ to 8.50″ 72.00″ to 144.00″
4/4 FAS Crotch Unselected Flat Sawn $25.00 4.00″ to 15.00″ 72.00″ to 144.00″
5/4 Clear None 0 – Plain Flat Sawn $15.50 4.00″ to 8.50″ 72.00″ to 144.00″
5/4 Common 1 & 2 None 0 – Plain Flat Sawn $6.50 4.00″ to 8.50″ 72.00″ to 144.00″
5/4 FAS None 0 – Plain Flat Sawn $10.50 4.00″ to 8.50″ 72.00″ to 144.00″
5/4 FAS None 0 – Plain Flat Sawn $12.00 9.00″ to 11.50″ 72.00″ to 144.00″
5/4 FAS None 0 – Plain Rift & Quartered $15.00 2.00″ to 7.00″ 72.00″ to 144.00″
5/4 FAS Unselected 1 – Light Flat Sawn $15.00 4.00″ to 8.50″ 72.00″ to 144.00″
5/4 FAS Unselected 2 – Medium Flat Sawn $20.00 4.00″ to 8.50″ 72.00″ to 144.00″
5/4 FAS Unselected 3 – Heavy Flat Sawn $25.00 4.00″ to 8.50″ 72.00″ to 144.00″
6/4 Clear None 0 – Plain Flat Sawn $16.00 4.00″ to 8.50″ 72.00″ to 144.00″
6/4 Common 1 & 2 None 0 – Plain Flat Sawn $7.00 4.00″ to 8.50″ 72.00″ to 144.00″
6/4 FAS None 0 – Plain Flat Sawn $13.00 4.00″ to 8.50″ 72.00″ to 144.00″
6/4 FAS None 0 – Plain Flat Sawn $14.50 9.00″ to 11.50″ 72.00″ to 144.00″
6/4 FAS None 0 – Plain Rift & Quartered $16.00 2.00″ to 7.00″ 72.00″ to 144.00″
8/4 Clear None 0 – Plain Flat Sawn $17.00 4.00″ to 8.50″ 72.00″ to 144.00″
8/4 Common 1 & 2 None 0 – Plain Flat Sawn $7.50 4.00″ to 8.50″ 72.00″ to 144.00″
8/4 FAS None 0 – Plain Flat Sawn $13.50 4.00″ to 8.50″ 72.00″ to 144.00″
8/4 FAS None 0 – Plain Flat Sawn $15.00 9.00″ to 11.50″ 72.00″ to 144.00″
8/4 FAS None 0 – Plain Rift & Quartered $16.50 2.00″ to 7.00″ 72.00″ to 144.00″
8/4 FAS Unselected 1 – Light Flat Sawn $15.00 4.00″ to 8.50″ 72.00″ to 144.00″
8/4 FAS Unselected 2 – Medium Flat Sawn $20.00 4.00″ to 8.50″ 72.00″ to 144.00″
8/4 FAS Unselected 3 – Heavy Flat Sawn $25.00 4.00″ to 8.50″ 72.00″ to 144.00″
12/4 Clear None 0 – Plain Flat Sawn $20.00 4.00″ to 8.50″ 72.00″ to 144.00″
12/4 FAS None 0 – Plain Flat Sawn $17.00 4.00″ to 8.50″ 72.00″ to 144.00″
12/4 FAS None 0 – Plain Flat Sawn $18.50 9.00″ to 11.50″ 72.00″ to 144.00″
12/4 FAS Unselected 1 – Light Flat Sawn $18.50 4.00″ to 8.50″ 72.00″ to 144.00″
12/4 FAS Unselected 2 – Medium Flat Sawn $20.00 4.00″ to 8.50″ 72.00″ to 144.00″
12/4 FAS Unselected 3 – Heavy Flat Sawn $25.00 4.00″ to 8.50″ 72.00″ to 144.00″
16/4 FAS None 0 – Plain Flat Sawn $18.50 4.00″ to 8.50″ 72.00″ to 144.00″
16/4 FAS None 0 – Plain Flat Sawn $20.00 9.00″ to 11.50″ 72.00″ to 144.00″
Shop our online Black Walnut products
Black Walnut Hardwood Flooring

***Please note our online store does not contain all lumber available for purchase.  Please call for availability. 1.610.932.7400***

Sample Pictures of Black Walnut

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.