The Chestnut Family

american-chestnutAmerican Chestnut

Scientific Name: Castanea dentata
Location: eastern USA
Dried Weight: 30lbs/ft3
Janka Hardness: 540lbf
Crushing Strength: 5,300lbf /in2

American Chestnut has a heartwood that is light to medium brown in color, which darkens to reddish brown with age. The sapwood is a pale white to light brown color. The grain is straight to spiral or interlocked and it has a coarse uneven texture. The end grain is diffuse-porous. American Chestnut is rated as very durable in regards to decay. The wood is easy to work with but caution must be taken when nailing and screwing as the wood splits easy. The wood glues and stains well, but it only performs mediocre at turning.

 

horse-chestnut-sHorse Chestnut

Scientific Name: Aesculus hippocastanum
Location: Eastern Europe
Dried Weight: 31lbs/ft3
Janka Hardness: 820lbf
Crushing Strength: 5,400lbf /in2

Horse Chestnut has a heartwood that is creamy white or a yellowish brown in color, while the sapwood is a white color. The grain tends to be wavy or interlocked and it has a fine even texture. The end grain is diffuse-porous. Horse Chestnut is rated as non-durable to perishable in regards to decay. The wood is easy to work with and glues, and finishes well.

 

sweet-chestnut-sSweet Chestnut

Scientific Name: Castanea sativa
Location: Europe & Asia Minor
Dried Weight: 34lbs/ft3
Janka Hardness: 680lbf
Crushing Strength: 6,300lbf /in2

Sweet Chestnut has a heartwood that is light to medium brown in color, which will darken to a reddish brown with age. The sapwood is a pale white to a light brown color. The grain is straight to spiral or interlocked and it has a coarse uneven texture. The end grain is ring-porous. Sweet Chestnut is easy to work with, but care must be taken when nailing and screwing because the wood splits easy. The wood glues, stains, and finishes well, but it only turns mediocre.