Designing with walnut sapwood

[Brian Runau]

I've built a bedroom set out of walnut and honestly didn't fret over the sap wood. Kind of like the natural look of it.

Designing a couple end tables now and I have some walnut I bought as a bunch a couple years ago, pre pandemic pricing yeah! Since these tables are smaller pieces I am questioning how to work in the sap wood into the use of the existing walnut or scrap it all.

I have the bunch of walnut I was planning on using for the legs and the box, I have wider nicer grain material I can use for the top. One of these boards pictured is almost all sap wood, Should I just pitch this or work it into the bottom shelf on both tables as equally as possible?

Thanks. Brian

walnut.jpg

This is the table design

https://www.hootjudkins.com/amish-crafted-solid-premium-cherry-wood-grace-end-table-in-bourbon-finish

[Prashun Patel]

I enjoy the challenge of making a board work. I think the one you are talking about is the 2nd from left (with the crazy grain in the middle of the board)? The trick is to be prepared to rip and reassemble the board so that neighbors have good grain match - sap to sap or heart to heart. This makes the choice appear intentional.

My instinct is to use heart on the legs, maximize the heartwood on the top but with a hint of sapwood along the edge, and then use the remaining sappy boards on the lower shelf, cleverly matched.

I think the bigger challenge may be working around the knots. Those sections may be harder to grain match than the sapwood even.

[Kris Cook]

Brian - interesting timing. I am starting a project with walnut and was wondering something similar to your question last night. I don't know if this link helps or not.

https://www.woodworkerssource.com/bl...ood-in-walnut/

[Brian Runau]

I enjoy the challenge of making a board work. I think the one you are talking about is the 2nd from left (with the crazy grain in the middle of the board)? The trick is to be prepared to rip and reassemble the board so that neighbors have good grain match - sap to sap or heart to heart. This makes the choice appear intentional.

My instinct is to use heart on the legs, maximize the heartwood on the top but with a hint of sapwood along the edge, and then use the remaining sappy boards on the lower shelf, cleverly matched.

I think the bigger challenge may be working around the knots. Those sections may be harder to grain match than the sapwood even.

Thanks Prashun. Kind of along the lines of what I am thinking, but good to have a 2nd opinion. Brian

[Brian Runau]

Brian - interesting timing. I am starting a project with walnut and was wondering something similar to your question last night. I don't know if this link helps or not.

https://www.woodworkerssource.com/bl...ood-in-walnut/

Kris, thanks. A good option. I think I will try without stain, but after the build if I am not satisfied, good to have this option. Brian

[Lee Schierer]

If you can find some black walnuts in the husk, you can make a stain from the husks that will pretty much match the sap wood to the the heart wood. It will change with age almost the same as the heart wood does.

[Rob Luter]

Maybe use the sapwood on the aprons? In any case I'd probably dye/stain typical of the article Kris posted.

[Brian Runau]

Brian - interesting timing. I am starting a project with walnut and was wondering something similar to your question last night. I don't know if this link helps or not.

https://www.woodworkerssource.com/bl...ood-in-walnut/

wanted to say thanks again for this suggestion. Planning on doing something like this to keep the walnut color over time. brian

[glenn bradley]

I use sapwood as a decorative element. The ability to do so depends on that piece and the location of the sap. It is a fun puzzle to figure out as Prashun points out. Here's a few examples.
Kit-Hut-(154).jpgMedia Cabinet (168).jpgMedia Cabinet (169).jpg