What is it?
The dark, strong, dimensionally stable hardwood that American furniture and gunstocks are made of - and the most valuable temperate timber per tree.
Why does it matter?
Walnut is the clearest case of a timber priced as an individual tree rather than a commodity. A single large, clear, well-figured log can be worth more than a truckload of oak, and veneer buyers bid on logs one at a time.
Where it grows
The central and eastern United States, much of it from farm woodlots and fencerows rather than managed forest.What it is used for
Furniture and cabinetry, veneer, gunstocks, turnery, musical instruments.What to watch
Unusually stable once dry and easy to work. Steaming is sometimes used to darken the sapwood towards the heartwood colour, which is a value judgement the trade argues about.What it is used for
All end markets →| End market | What it does there | Importance |
|---|---|---|
| Furniture & Joinery | Furniture and veneer, priced by the log | Defining |