6/4 Black Walnut Rough Sawn Lumber
Direct Kingma listing for African Walnut; inventory, lengths, and widths can rotate by variant.
View optionAfrican Walnut Wood Guide
Wood species guide · Imported specialty hardwood
African Walnut is best understood by how it looks, how it works, and where it should be used. This guide explains the practical buying details before sending you to the right Kingma products.
Scientific nameLovoa trichilioides
Janka hardness940 lbf
Average dried weight34 lb/ft³
Best fitVeneer
Overview
Why choose African Walnut?
African Walnut is a imported specialty hardwood associated with West tropical Africa. It is useful when the project calls for veneer, plywood, flooring, furniture, cabinetry, and turned objects
For SEO and customer usefulness, this page separates the science from the buying decision: appearance, working behaviour, durability, project fit, and then the right Kingma shopping path.
Scientific nameLovoa trichilioides
DistributionWest tropical Africa
ShrinkageRadial: 3.7%, Tangential: 5.9%, Volumetric: 10.8%, T/R Ratio: 1.6
DurabilityDecay resistance is rated as moderately durable, with the heartwood being resistant to powder post beetles, but susceptible to termites.
African Walnut colour, grain, and figure
Expect heartwood is a golden yellow to reddish brown, sometimes with darker streaks and veins. Color tends to darken upon exposure and with age.
In practical selection, the grain and texture are best treated this way: grain is usually slightly interlocked, but is sometimes straight. Medium, uniform texture, with a high level of natural luster.
Working notes
In the shop, generally easy to work with both hand and machine tools, though care must be taken to avoid tearout when surfacing interlocked grain. Turns, glues, and finishes well.
Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, African Walnut has been reported to cause skin, eye, and respiratory irritation, as well as other systemic effects.
African Walnut should be sold by project fit: colour, workability, durability, and the format the customer actually needs.
Best uses for African Walnut
Best projects
Veneer, plywood, flooring, furniture, cabinetry, and turned objects
Use caution
Avoid specifying it by name alone; confirm board size, moisture, colour, figure, and the project environment before buying.
Finish strategy
Test finishes on offcuts first, especially when colour, blotching, outdoor exposure, or grain filling matters.
Buying note
Choose boards, slabs, plywood, blanks, or posts based on the project rather than species name alone.
Shop path
Buying African Walnut from Kingma
Start with the direct species match when Kingma sells it. If stock rotates, use the closest live collection or a clearly explained alternative.
8/4 Black Walnut Rough Sawn Lumber
Direct Kingma listing for African Walnut; inventory, lengths, and widths can rotate by variant.
View option8/4 Black Walnut Veneer Grade Rough Sawn Lumber
Direct Kingma listing for African Walnut; inventory, lengths, and widths can rotate by variant.
View optionSimilar woods and alternatives
If Kingma does not have an exact match online, use the buying links below as practical alternatives only when the colour, grain, hardness, or project environment makes sense.
African Walnut FAQ
What is African Walnut best used for?
African Walnut is best considered for veneer, plywood, flooring, furniture, cabinetry, and turned objects. Match it to the exact board format, colour, hardness, and finish plan before buying.
Is African Walnut beginner friendly?
It depends on density, grain direction, and tooling. Test cuts on offcuts first, and choose Maple, Cherry, Walnut, or Poplar when easier machining is the priority.
Does Kingma sell African Walnut?
Use the buying section on this page. If an exact product is not listed, the linked alternatives are included only when they make practical sense for colour, grain, or project use.