Walnut wood is dark, hard, dense, and tight-grained. It is known for its great color, grain, and reliability. Walnut wood comes from the trees that are the common source of edible walnuts.
Claro walnut is harder and more expensive than black walnut. Claro walnut wood is light pale brown while black walnut is lighter pale brown to dark chocolate.
There are 21 species of Walnut, Some special species of Walnut are as follows: English Walnut, Black Walnut, Claro Walnut, White Walnut, Bastogne Walnut, and Peruvian Walnut.
Claro Walnut (Juglans hindsii)
The Claro walnut is one of several species of walnut. It is hard, durable, and moderately rot-resistant wood. It is native to California and Oregon.
Claro walnut is widely used for making quality furniture and musical instruments.
Juglans hindsii is a small to medium-sized tree, It grows up to 30–60 feet (9.1–18.3 m) tall. The bark is typically gray-black and The leaves are pinnately compound and alternately.
Black Walnut (Juglans nigra)
The Black walnut, also called eastern black walnut, is durable, stable, and solid hardwood. It is native to the Eastern United States.
Black Walnut is a great choice for making furniture, gunstocks, interior paneling, and veneer.
A black walnut tree is a long-sized tree that usually is between 100 to130 feet (30–40 m) tall.
| # | Claro Walnut | Black Walnut |
| Scientific name: | Juglans hindsii | Juglans nigra |
| Tree Height: | 30–60 feet (9.1–18.3 m) tall, 3-5 ft (1–1.5 m) trunk diameter | 100–130 feet (30–40 m) tall, 2-3 ft (.6-1 m) trunk diameter |
| Average Dried Weight: | 40 lbs/ft3 (640 kg/m3) | 38 lbs/ft3 (610 kg/m3) |
| Janka Hardness: | 1,130 lbf (5,030 N) | 1,010 lbf (4,490 N) |
| Wood color: | lighter pale brown to a dark chocolate brown | lighter pale brown |
| Rot Resistance: | Durable but not very rot-resistant | Durable but not very rot-resistant |
| Workability: | Usually, easy to work | Easy to work |
| Uses: | Furniture, cabinets, musical instruments, turned items, and other small wooden objects. | Furniture, cabinetry, gunstocks, interior paneling, veneer, turned items, and decorative items. |
Common uses of Claro Walnut and Black Walnut Wood
Almost all species of walnut are most commonly used for making furniture and cabinets. But not suitable for outdoor furniture without exterior finishing.
But some experts believe that walnuts can be used for outdoor purposes if treated properly.
Walnut wood is an excellent choice for any DIY project such as interior paneling. It is Strong, durable, and easy to carve in any shape. After finishing it gives an amazing result.
Claro Walnut wood Uses
Claro Walnut is a dense and heavy tonewood, which is preferred by instrument makers. walnut generates a bright tone with a tight low-end.
Its dark brown color and grain pattern Attract everyone. So it is used for making veneer sheets and plywood. Because of being expensive, it is not possible to use solid wood in all projects.
Black Walnut Wood Uses
Black walnut is strong and shock-resistant hardwood. Therefore it is considered a suitable wood for making durable and attractive gunshots.
Black walnut has medium density, It is easy to carve and shape. Black walnut is the most preferred wood for making small decorative objects. The market value of these decorative items is expensive.
Wood color and grain Pattern
Claro Walnut
The heartwood of Claro walnut is light pale brown to a dark chocolate brown with darker brown streaks. Whereas sapwood is nearly white.
Claro walnut has a straight grain but can be irregular with medium texture and moderate natural luster.
Black Walnut
Heartwood is lighter pale brown to dark chocolate, Whereas sapwood is pale yellow-gray to nearly white.
Black walnuts have straight grain, but maybe irregular and interlocked. The wood has a medium texture and moderate natural luster.
Walnut is a dark brown wood that fades over time. It turns into honey-like, pale color tones. Exposure to UV light accelerates the process of fading.
Working with Claro Walnut and Black Walnut
Generally, Walnut wood is easy to work with hand and power tools. But the properties of all species are not the same.
Claro walnut and Black walnut have straight grain but can be interlocked grain, it may be difficult to work. Planer tearout can be a problem with irregular or figured grain.
Walnuts respond very well to steam bending If it is done properly.
Walnuts wood does accept stains and dyes well. Walnut does not have the problem of blotchy and uneven stains. Which is often a problem for softwoods such as pine.
Rot-resistant Properties of Claro walnut and black walnut
Claro Walnut and Black Walnut are rated as very durable in terms of decay resistance, but both are susceptible to insect attack.
But you can avoid wood rot by treating the wood with a quality sealer and varnish. The sealer seals the open pores of the wood and creates a protective layer so that moisture and dust do not affect the wood.
Black walnut wood can be used for outdoor purposes such as fence posts, railroads, and boat building. But the exterior finishing of the wood is necessary before using it outside.
Allergies/Toxicity
Walnut wood has not been reported for any serious allergic or toxic. But often the problem of sneezing, nasal congestion, and runny nose are noticed while working.
Asthma or skin sensitive patients need to take precautions to cover exposed skin before working with wood. Wood dust also affects the eyes, so use safety glasses.
Is Walnut Wood Good For Firewood?
Walnut can be good firewood when it is completely dry. Generally, walnut firewood burns easily and cleanly. But green walnuts produce harmful smoke.
The BTU value of black walnut is 20.2 Million BTUs per cord. The British thermal unit (BTU or Btu) is a unit of heat.
Price
Walnut wood is quite expensive but it is not the most expensive wood. The price of wood depends on many things, such as slow growth rate, low tree height, and quality of wood.
You can get cheap deals by buying walnuts from their place of origin. But always buy from a trusted shop or dealer.
Due to walnut wood being expensive, its veneer sheet or plywood is widely used for furniture. Because the cost of plywood is less than that of solid walnut wood.
Conclusion
Claro Walnut and Black Walnut lumber are both excellent types of walnut. Claro walnut is stronger and harder than black walnut. Both of these woods have their advantages and disadvantages. The choice of these woods depends on your purpose of use.