Butternut : (Juglans cinerea)
Butternut |
White Walnut |
Oilnut |
Nogal |
Nogal Blanco |
Nogal Silvestre |
Nuez Meca | Tocte | Tropical Walnut |
Walnut |
Sapwood Color |
The thin sapwood is described as white to light grayish brown, usually about one inch wide. |
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Heartwood Color |
The heartwood is light brown, often with dark brown streaks or red tones. It has also been described as light chestnut-brown, medium-brown to dark brown, or warm buttery tan. |
Grain |
The grain, which is usually straight, has also been described as satiny and leafy. Some veneer flitches may exhibit small dark spots. |
Texture |
The wood has medium to coarse, but soft texture, which resembles that of Black walnut. |
Odor |
There is no significant odor or taste. |
Movement in Service |
The wood is fairly stable in service. It is reported to stay in place with minimum movement and shrinkage after seasoning. |
Planing |
Butternut is reported to respond well to planing and other woodworking operations, but it is soft and requires very sharp cutting edges to prevent tearing. |
Turning |
Not Available |
Boring |
Not Available |
Mortising |
Not Available |
Gluing |
The wood glues very well. |
Sanding |
Not Available |
Polishing |
Polishing qualities are reported to be very good. |
Staining |
The wood stains very well. |
Varnishing |
Not Available |
Steam Bending |
Not Available |
Response to Hand Tools |
The wood works very satisfactorily with hand tools. Cutting tools must be kept sharp for maximum efficiency. |
Miscellaneous Comments |
Butternut is reported to have been a favorite wood for church altars, and carvers still enjoy using the wood. It is currently used mainly for furniture. The wood is weak in stiffness, and is also rated as moderately weak in bending and edge-wise compression. |