Have you ever wondered how a piece of live edge slab can produce such a mesmerizing effect? Using a live edge wood slab generates a natural connection that no other furniture material can provide. Live edge black walnut slabs are one of the most commonly used in furniture making because of their superiority and innate beauty. Walnut slabs are the standard for many early American furniture, along with cherry and mahogany.
Common Names: black walnut, American walnut, American black walnut, Eastern black walnut, Virginia walnut, Pennsylvania walnut
Short Description: Live edge black walnut is prized in the lumber industry primarily for its easy workability. The black walnut wood is hearty and shade tolerant. You can work the grain from any direction.
Country of Origin: North America
Color: ranges from pale brown to dark chocolate brown; may have purple, grey, or reddish cast; pale yellow-greyish to almost white sapwood
Janka Scale Hardness: 1010 lbf (4490N)
Dried Average Weight: 38 lbs/ft 3 (610 kg/m3)
Common Uses: live edge furniture, cabinetry, boat building, wood carving, instrument making, architectural millwork, wood turning, veneer, flooring
What Are Live Edge Black Walnut Slabs?
Black walnut (Juglans nigra) is an important commercial tree. However, it is known for its allelopathic properties since the tree releases chemicals that can potentially harm other organisms in its surroundings. Thus, it does not make a good lawn plant as it can kill other plants sensitive to the acid the black walnut tree produces. Live edge walnut is rot-resistant, but it is susceptible to insect attacks.
Where Does Black Walnut Come From?
Black walnut wood slabs are abundant in the eastern United States, where it lines roadsides and fields. Though it can grow in closed forests, black walnut is shade intolerant and needs full sun to optimize its growth. It grows in riparian areas, between land and a river or stream. Black walnut trees may be found in southern Ontario, south to Georgia, and southwest to central Texas, among others.
Is It Hardwood or Softwood?
Black walnut is a hardwood. It is, in fact, considered a rare and extremely valuable hardwood in North America.
How Dense Are Black Walnut Live Edge Slabs?
The live edge black walnut slabs have fine grains, making it a very dense wood. Scoring a good 1010 on the Janka Hardness Test shows just how reliable a black walnut wood is when absorbing shock. Live edge black walnut slabs used for weight-bearing shelves and counters can keep up with heavy objects without breaking.
How to Distinguish Real Black Walnut From Stained?
Wood may have similar colors and grains that one finds confusing to distinguish from each other. Determining if you have a real black walnut is still doable if you know which wood characteristics to check.
First, check the continuous grains along the side. The presence of end grains is characteristic of natural wood. A repetitive grain pattern signifies that what you have is a more of a veneer than solid black walnut. Live edge black walnut slabs are rare to find very wide, as they grow taller and more narrow. To achieve a wider surface, book matched black walnut slabs are often joined together.
Black walnut grains are straight and tight with swirls and wave patterns. Another defining attribute that proves a walnut wood slab is real black walnut is its color. Black walnut sapwood is creamy yellow to whitish, while its heartwood is often dark brown.
Are Live Edge Black Walnut Slabs a Good Option for Outdoor Furniture?
While durable and rot-resistant, black walnut is not a good choice for any outdoor furniture. Black walnut is prone to warping and insect attacks. Another reason it cannot stand outside is the damage brought about by sun exposure. Harmful UV rays can lighten the color of black walnut live edge slabs. Thus, it is certainly not meant for any outdoor areas.
FAQs
What to look for when buying black walnut wood slabs?
You must ensure their authenticity if you are looking for live edge black walnut slabs. The above tips distinguishing real black walnut furniture should be applied when purchasing black walnut slabs too.
How to care for black walnut slabs?
Black walnut, just like any other wood, is temperature and humidity sensitive. If it gets too dry in your home, black walnut may crack and warp. So, always maintain humidity levels inside the house. Other care methods include using natural cleaners and wiping spills immediately with a microfiber cloth.
Can live edge black walnut cause allergies?
Black walnut is a sensitizer, meaning that its sawdust and fine particles may lead to increased sensitivity. A person sensitive to black walnut may experience eye and skin irritations. While severe reactions are not common, it is best recommended to practice caution when doing woodwork or other projects involving black walnut and other related species.
Are black walnut wood slabs expensive?
Yes, live edge black walnut slabs is slightly expensive compared to other wood. Its high price is likely because of the demand from consumers who want to use these unique wood slabs.
Where to Buy Black Walnut Wood Slabs
Live edge black walnut slabs are readily available in our inventory at Alderfer Lumber Co. We take pride in our team’s collaborative effort in providing the highest quality and authentic black walnut to our customers. With skills and knowledge, our expertise in wood care is unmatched.
We sustainably source black walnut from our suppliers and treat each live edge wood slab with utmost care to ensure they won’t get damaged during transport and handling. We further provide excellent service to guarantee that our clients find the best live edge slab they want for a piece of furniture.
To check our current inventory of live edge black walnut slabs available, send us an email or call 570-539-2063.
We are also happy to serve you at our store’s location at 5532 Flint Valley Road, Mount Pleasant Mills, PA, 17853.
We are open from Mondays to Fridays, 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM. If this schedule does not suit you, you can contact us to book an appointment for Saturdays and evenings.
