Replies

1. 
   UncleDunc | Jan 19, 2005 06:04am | #1

   The brown core is called heartwood. The white outer layer is called sapwood. According to Bruce Hoadley's book Understanding Wood, the sapwood in black walnut typically comprises the outermost 10 to 20 annual rings. If a tree is getting plenty of light and water, that could easily add up to ten inches diameter.

2. 
   DavidxDoud | Jan 19, 2005 07:35am | #2

   the ratio of heartwood to sapwood is reflective of the vigor of the tree - a vigorously growing tree will have a relatively large percent of biologically active sap wood - a tree can be small diameter and have a large percent of heartwood if is growing slowly/about to lose the competion for sunlight -

   in this case it sounds like you got a very vigorous,  young walnut tree - -

    

   "there's enough for everyone"
3. 
   Jellyrug | Jan 19, 2005 08:33am | #3

   Coupe,

   About ten months ago, I drove past a Walnut orchard in CA, where the whole orchard was taken down, with trees about twenty years old. I approached the owner and asked him if I can have some trees. These were English Walnut grafted with black Walnut.

   I chain sawed seven trees, by cutting at the bottom of the trunk, above the roots and at the top of the trunk before the branching starts. There was no sign of any hardwood at the chain saw cuts, only sap wood. The trunks were about six feet tall, twelve to fourteen inches in diameter.

   I posted a lot of questions here on Knots and most of the answers I got were that this was good for firewood not much more and that most of the trees will be sap wood.

   The logs have been lying in my yard, in the rain since and this week-end, I took one log, took off all the bark, split the log down the center with a chain saw and cut boards on my band saw. I was pleasantly surprised as the wood is around three quarters dark Walnut, with beautiful figure. Interesting was that the sap wood is only at the bottom and top ends of the logs and in the center of the log with hard wood surrounding the sap wood.

   One big challenge though to cut these heavy logs on a band saw, so I will take the remainder to a mill on Sunday.

   If your logs are free, it should be worth your time to do something with them.

4. 
   AndyE | Jan 19, 2005 05:45pm | #4

   A'int nothin like free lumber. If you are not positive these came from the same tree, some could be Butternut. The trees look very similar but the butternut has no dark heartwood. When sawn it looks like bleached cherry. Nice grain and figure but a very pale white to light yellow color. I have walnut firewood I've collected and even the 4" branches show the dark heartwood. Could have something to do with the health of the tree.

   Andy

5. 
   Curtis | Jan 20, 2005 03:17am | #5

   Ive cut down a few walnut trees, the white and green will start the blend together soon after the wood is cut, wait and see. the rich brown that will come with time.

   That was somewhat a surprise to me as well, Walnut is suppose to be brown not green and white? What a pleasant surprise when I found those ugly boards turn a deep dark brown.

   I don't understand why exactly, but what I do know is Patience almost always pays off for its self.

   C.A.G.

   C.A.G.
1. 
   frenchy | Jan 20, 2005 06:30pm | #6

   And if you want that dark look right now,  just steam 'em.. they will turn a permanent brown..

1. 
   Curtis | Jan 21, 2005 04:45am | #7

   That's true, But I found the color isn't the same. the deep dark purples and rich color doesn't seem to come out with steam.

   Just my humble opinion.C.A.G.