# most accurate walnut look, that isn't walnut



## walkerrosewood (Jan 23, 2014)

I'm always scheming for future projects. Thinking of ideas, researching techniques, making lists, buying tools I don't really need (yet), etc. On the list of future projects is a kitchen island/cart with butcher block top. The top will consist of the standard maple and walnut edgegrain construction common for butcher blocks.

The rest of the unit will consist of leg posts, shelves, and cabinets. Making the entire thing from solid walnut would be very expensive. So to keep costs down I'd like to use some cheaper materials and stain/paint/oil to match the look of the walnut. 

So here's the big question...what is the best combination of material and finish to accurately fake walnut, without breaking the bank? could be birch with general finishes antique walnut gel stain, home depot pine with Watco Walnut danish oil, hardboard with brown fingerpaint, osb with a picture of a walnut taped to it, etc. 

What have you used? What works what well and what completely failed? Side by side pics with actual Walnut would be excellent.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

alder is about as close as you will ever get to a walnut look alike...
red Gum could be another...


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

walkerrosewood said:


> What have you used? What works what well and what completely failed? Side by side pics with actual Walnut would be excellent.


I don't substitute so failing is held to an absolute minimum....
a sub for walnut may be okay come molding/trim, furniture, cabinets and the like...
for a cutting board.. not so well unless it's ornamental and not functional....
Since you didn't specify which subspecies of walnut just tried for an average..

Alder is very soft and not like walnut in molecular structure at all...
Red Gum is often sap wood and porous..
Walnut and Maple are similar... where as Alder and gum are similar..
Neither group is like or similar to the other...

*Maple...*
*Workability:* Fairly easy to work with both hand and machine tools, though slightly more difficult than Soft Maple due to Hard Maple’s higher density. Maple has a tendency to burn when being machined with high-speed cutters such as in a router. Turns, glues, and finishes well, though blotches can occur when staining, and a pre-conditioner, gel stain, or toner may be necessary to get an even color.

Average Dried Weight: 44 lbs/ft3 (705 kg/m3)
Specific Gravity (Basic, 12% MC): .56, .71
Janka Hardness: 1,450 lbf (6,450 N)
Modulus of Rupture: 15,800 lbf/in2 (109.0 MPa)
Elastic Modulus: 1,830,000 lbf/in2 (12.62 GPa)
Crushing Strength: 7,830 lbf/in2 (54.0 MPa)
Shrinkage: Radial: 4.8%, Tangential: 9.9%, Volumetric: 14.7%, T/R Ratio: 2.1

*Walnut...*
*Workability: *Typically easy to work provided the grain is straight and regular. Planer tearout can sometimes be a problem when surfacing pieces with irregular or figured grain. Glues, stains, and finishes well, (though walnut is rarely stained). Responds well to steam bending.

Average Dried Weight: 38 lbs/ft3 (610 kg/m3)
Specific Gravity (Basic, 12% MC): .51, .61
Janka Hardness: 1,010 lbf (4,490 N)
Modulus of Rupture: 14,600 lbf/in2 (100.7 MPa)
Elastic Modulus: 1,680,000 lbf/in2 (11.59 GPa)
Crushing Strength: 7,580 lbf/in2 (52.3 MPa)
Shrinkage: Radial: 5.5%, Tangential: 7.8%, Volumetric: 12.8%, T/R Ratio: 1.4

*Alder...*
*Workability:* Red Alder is very easy to work with both hand and machine tools; it sands especially easy. The wood is rather soft, however, and care must be taken to avoid denting it in some applications. Red Alder has excellent gluing, staining, and finishing properties; it also turns well and behaves similar to Black Cherry.

Average Dried Weight: 28 lbs/ft3 (450 kg/m3)
Specific Gravity (Basic, 12% MC): .37, .45
Janka Hardness: 590 lbf (2,620 N)
Modulus of Rupture: 9,800 lbf/in2 (67.6 MPa)
Elastic Modulus: 1,380,000 lbf/in2 (9.52 GPa)
Crushing Strength: 5,820 lbf/in2 (40.1 MPa)
Shrinkage: Radial: 4.4%, Tangential: 7.3%, Volumetric: 12.6%, T/R Ratio: 1.7

*Red Gum...*
*Workability:* Red Gum Generally easy to work, though planing can produce tearout due to interlocked grain. Sweetgum is known to warp and distort badly during initial drying. (After initial drying, distortion is significantly less, but the wood still experiences an appreciable amount of movement in service.) Turns, glues, stains, and finishes well. Responds moderately well to steam bending.

Average Dried Weight: 34 lbs/ft3 (545 kg/m3)
Specific Gravity (Basic, 12% MC): .46, .55
Janka Hardness: 850 lbf (3,780 N)
Modulus of Rupture: 12,500 lbf/in2 (86.2 MPa)
Elastic Modulus: 1,640,000 lbf/in2 (11.31 GPa)
Crushing Strength: 6,320 lbf/in2 (43.6 MPa)
Shrinkage: Radial: 5.3%, Tangential: 10.2%, Volumetric: 15.8%, T/R Ratio: 1.9


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## RMIGHTY1 (Nov 5, 2014)

Great info & pics stick, thanks.


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## walkerrosewood (Jan 23, 2014)

Thanks Stick, that document was very helpful! Just to be clear, the butch block top I would make from real Walnut. It's the cabinet base and leg posts I'm looking to find a cheaper Walnut analogue.


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## phillip.c (Aug 9, 2012)

You can make the cabinet base from cabinet-grade plywood covered in walnut veneer. You can buy veneer in a roll with a peel-off backing. 

You might want to consider splurging on real walnut legs. This may depend on the profile you select for legs. Are you turning the legs? Or will the legs with dense square stock? If the legs will be square stock, you can buy just a small bit of walnut to make your own veneer for the legs. You could also purchase the veneer as before and simply cover the legs.


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## walkerrosewood (Jan 23, 2014)

I didn't even think about veneer. I've never done veneer, but that hasn't stopped me before. Could be something fun to try. 

Some of the leg will be exposed, the cabinet will wrap around the rest.


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## TwoSkies57 (Feb 23, 2009)

I'd suggest staying away from veneers for anything that is in all likely hood going to get dinged, banged, thumped, hit, brushed against, ran into or otherwise subject to everyday life. Store bought veneer ply can be damn near as expense as the real deal if not more. Learning to do your own is definitely worth the time looking into.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

TwoSkies57 said:


> I'd suggest staying away from veneers for anything that is in all likely hood going to get dinged, banged, thumped, hit, brushed against, ran into or otherwise subject to everyday life. Store bought veneer ply can be damn near as expense as the real deal if not more. Learning to do your own is definitely worth the time looking into.


agreed.....


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## TwoSkies57 (Feb 23, 2009)

Butternut is of the walnut family, though not nearly as hard it does work and stain well. Grain tends to be less dramatic in most cases. Comparatively affordable when compared to walnut (at least in most places).. Where walnut tends to be a darker brown, butternut tends to be a lighter brown..


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## walkerrosewood (Jan 23, 2014)

So this is all really great information, but nobody has an opinion about finishing products? I'm still curious about your favorite oil/stain/varnish, etc. Which "walnut" finishing product actually looks close to walnut wood with a clear finish?


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## Gaffboat (Mar 11, 2012)

walkerrosewood said:


> So this is all really great information, but nobody has an opinion about finishing products? I'm still curious about your favorite oil/stain/varnish, etc. Which "walnut" finishing product actually looks close to walnut wood with a clear finish?


Sounds like it's time to experiment, Walker. I usually grab some scraps of wood I think will be suitable, tape off individual areas, and apply different stains and combinations to each area. Keep experimenting until you find something you like. Oh, one key point: make notes of what's been done in each area. (Don't ask me how I know :fie One more thing, if you find a good solution please share it with those of us who are clueless. (Like me.)


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