---
title: "Black walnut — density, melting point and properties"
description: "Black walnut has a density of 610 kg/m³ (550–660). Melting point, strength, conductivity, what it is used for, and whether it floats, rusts or is magnetic."
url: https://atoneplace.net/material/walnut/
site: "At One Place"
---

# Black walnut

**Density of black walnut: 610 kg/m³ (550–660)**

0.61 g/cm³ · 38.1 lb/ft³

The only native North American hardwood that is naturally dark, which is most of its commercial value — everything else has to be stained to imitate it. It is dimensionally stable and absorbs recoil well, which is why gun stocks have been walnut for three centuries. Its roots and husks release juglone, which is toxic to many garden plants, so walnut sawdust should not go on a vegetable bed or in horse bedding.

## Properties

- **Density:** 610 kg/m³ (550–660) — 0.61 g/cm³
- **Young's modulus:** 11.6 GPa
- **Floats in water:** Yes
- **Magnetic:** No

## What it is used for

- Fine furniture and veneers
- Rifle and shotgun stocks
- Turned bowls and boxes
- Musical instrument bodies and fingerboards

## How it compares

*Water is 1,000 kg/m³. Anything with a shorter bar than water floats in it.*

- air: 1.2 kg/m³
- expanded polystyrene foam: 20 kg/m³
- rigid polyurethane foam: 40 kg/m³
- black walnut: 610 kg/m³
- Water — the float line: 1,000 kg/m³
- tungsten: 19,250 kg/m³
- gold: 19,300 kg/m³
- platinum: 21,450 kg/m³

*Water is 1,000 kg/m³. Anything below that floats.*

| Material | Density | Relative to water |
| --- | --- | --- |
| rigid polyurethane foam | 40 kg/m³ | 0.04× |
| expanded polystyrene foam | 20 kg/m³ | 0.02× |
| air | 1.2 kg/m³ | 0.00× |
| black walnut ← | 610 kg/m³ | 0.61× |
| platinum | 21,450 kg/m³ | 21.45× |
| gold | 19,300 kg/m³ | 19.30× |
| tungsten | 19,250 kg/m³ | 19.25× |

## Does it rust?

Black walnut contains no iron, so it cannot rust. Whether it degrades depends on the material, not on oxidation.

## Is it magnetic?

Black walnut is not a metal and has no ferromagnetic response.

## Common questions

### What is the density of black walnut?

610 kg/m³ (550–660), or 0.61 g/cm³.

### Does black walnut float?

Yes. At 610 kg/m³ it is less dense than water's 1,000.

### Is black walnut magnetic?

Black walnut is not a metal and has no ferromagnetic response.

## Related pages

- [Does black walnut float?](https://atoneplace.net/does-it-float/walnut/)
- [Pine](https://atoneplace.net/material/pine/)
- [Plywood](https://atoneplace.net/material/plywood/)
- [MDF](https://atoneplace.net/material/mdf/)
- [White oak](https://atoneplace.net/material/white-oak/)
- [Red oak](https://atoneplace.net/material/red-oak/)
- [Balsa](https://atoneplace.net/material/balsa/)
- [Spruce](https://atoneplace.net/material/spruce/)
- [Western red cedar](https://atoneplace.net/material/cedar/)

## Sources

- Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place (/about/)