black walnut availability

[Bluekingfisher]

Morning all,

The wife has asked if I could build some kitchen cabinet doors to match the new walnut wooden worktops.

Having never bought walnut before, is it readily available here in the UK and if so are there recommended suppliers.

Many thanks.

David

 

[tomatwark]

David

Most decent hardwood suppliers who sell North American timber will have Black Walnut.

The thing to watch for is the amount of sapwood in it as you sometimes get quite a lot.

Also if you are thinking along the lines of shaker style doors you can get 6mm and 9mm veneered MDF for the panels, which will save you a lot of money.

Someone nearer to you will be able to point you in the right direction as regard to suppliers.

Tom

 

[Bluekingfisher]

Tom - Thanks for your response, I am actually thinking of going the shaker style route. I was going to use birch ply for the panels as it matches the current cabinets to a tee. So light panel with the dark walnut frame (wifes choice).

Perhaps someone nearer will identify a local supplier of Walnut, thanks again.

David

 

[9fingers]

Not only can there be a lot of sapwood but also I find it quite difficult to select sawn boards as it is less than obvious sometimes when there is sapwood as it is relatively dark. Look at the growth rings and stay away from any that are too 'flat' and if the budget will run to is buy around 50% extra. To be sure you might want to buy it a PAR where you can see potential problems before you buy.
I would never buy ABW online/phone unless from a highly trusted supplied.

Good Luck

Bob

 

[Bluekingfisher]

Thanks for the tips Bob - just need to find that elusive trusted supplier and hopefully not too far away.

Thank you.

David

 

[marcros]

beyond finding a trusted supplier, you need to make sure they understand what you want. IIRC, sapwood in black walnut is not a recognised "defect", so if you are not specific, you could be supplied with timber that is perfectly defect free, but nothing like what you want!

 

[Harbo]

Lord Nibbo used a lot of ABW in the past?
You could try a PM?

Rod

 

[Bluekingfisher]

beyond finding a trusted supplier, you need to make sure they understand what you want. IIRC, sapwood in black walnut is not a recognised "defect", so if you are not specific, you could be supplied with timber that is perfectly defect free, but nothing like what you want!

Not sure what you mean on that one, Defect free, but not what I want?

Are there specific questions I need to ask the supplier, beyond telling him what the timber is to be used for is there anything else I should ensure??

I guess you can tell I've never bout ABW before :?:

 

[Bluekingfisher]

Thanks Rod, may just do that

 

[9fingers]

When I ended up with a little more sapwood than I wanted, I made good use of van **** crystals to stain it down and then with some HWO onto top made a good finish on this http://thewoodhaven.co.uk/phpBB3/viewto ... crib#p4528
I think the defects Marcros refers to are colour variations rather than structural defects, knots etc.

Bob

 

[RogerP]

For a non-professional with a one-off job it can be economical to buy PAR which, with careful juggling of the bought sizes, can complete the job with the absolute minimum of waste. I recently did our kitchen in oak and by ordering PAR in the appropriate combination of lengths, widths and thicknesses I managed to have left over only a couple of feet of timber and the sawdust Of course this wouldn't be the way to go for a professional.

I bought from British Hardwoods Online who are very helpful indeed, sell excellent PAR plus their carriage charges are reasonable - which is important for those of us many miles from any decent timber yard.

 

[marcros]

When I ended up with a little more sapwood than I wanted, I made good use of van **** crystals to stain it down and then with some HWO onto top made a good finish on this http://thewoodhaven.co.uk/phpBB3/viewto ... crib#p4528
I think the defects Marcros refers to are colour variations rather than structural defects, knots etc.

Bob

Yes, sorry I should have been clearer.

In British timber, sapwood tends to not be counted as the good timber. In some of the American species, the sapwood and heartwood are both counted as good. So you may end up with good timber, but have a colour variation that is not desirable to you. But technically speaking, the merchant is not wrong to supply it.

http://www.john-boddy-timber.ltd.uk/Pic ... nut_b.html

 

[Bluekingfisher]

Thanks for all the assistance fellahs, it could be a challenge to make sure I get the right timber, much to ponder, Is there a great deal of difference in the rough sawn and par boards?

I have the kit to machine it, no probs there but as mentioned for a one off job would the difference in price be worth the extra work and aggro?

 

[tomatwark]

Its a lot easier to see the colour variations once it is planed up, so from that point of view PAR maybe better for you.

I have used Black Walnut a lot over the years and even with experience have been caught out with a board from time to time that looked darker rough sawn and was a really light in colour once I started to plane it.

As others have said colour is not classed as a defect in some American timber grading, Cherry is another wood this can apply to.

You should allow a bigger wastage allowance when ordering to compensate for the colour, unless you can go and sort through a pack of PAR stuff.

I normally allow 45% when ordering Black Walnut or Cherry instead of 35% which I allow for other straight edged stuff.

Tom

 

[RogerP]

I have the kit to machine it, no probs there but as mentioned for a one off job would the difference in price be worth the extra work and aggro?

Yes there's quite difference because you're paying someone else to reduce a sawn board to a smaller perfectly flat and square sized board - but also buying PAR you do get to see the finished wood surface and can easily reject those not suitable. No bad surprises

 

[Steve Maskery]

I guess that it is a day's outing for you, but I can recommend Whitmore's at Hinkley. You can get them to supply on the rise, which is the cheapest, or you can select and pay a bit more. I've always found them good quality and very helpful.
S

 

[Bluekingfisher]

Thanks fellahs, as a novice with the particular timber it may be easier and more economical to buy PAR, al beit being a more difficult to swallow at first when shelling out the hard earned.

Much appreciated.

David

 

[Bluekingfisher]

Thanks Steve, Just checked out Hinckley, only about an hour from me so well within range.

Cheers for the heads up

 

[Steve Maskery]

Be aware that you can't just roll up. Well you can try, but they may turn you away. They operate a booking system!
S

 

[Bluekingfisher]

Ah! OK just to make it that little bit more difficult for me lol

Thanks again, could have been a wasted journey, just checked out their site they seem to have just about every variety known to man.

Thanks again for your input