Chestnut
Scientific name:
Castanea sativa
Other Common Names:
Spanish chestnut
American chestnut
Chinkapin
Sweet chestnut
Grows in southwest Europe, North Africa, and western Asia. Chestnut, which is equally attractive in fiber and markings, has a color quality that is even better, and is plentiful, easily obtained and very reasonable as to cost. While it lacks something of the stateliness and durability of oak, chestnut is even more friendly because of the mellowness and richness of its color, which under very simple treatment takes on a luminous quality that seems to fill the whole room with a soft glow like that of the misty color that is radiated from trees in autumn.
Chestnut takes even more kindly than oak to the fuming process, because it contains a greater percentage of tannin and the texture of the wood itself is softer and more open. But unless a deep tone of brown is desired, fuming may be dispensed with, because the wood is so much richer in the elements from which color can be produced that a delightful effect may be obtained merely by applying a light stain of nut brown or soft gray, under which the natural color of the wood appears as an undertone.
Uses:
Used for casks, coffins, poles, turned walking sticks, stakes, umbrella handles, furniture, kitchen utensils, bowls, and veneer.
General Characteristics:
The wood remains smooth under friction and is reported to have no odor. The sapwood of chestnut is white to light brown, while the heartwood is grayish-brown to brown in color. The species has a straight, sometimes spiraled grain and is fairly coarse in texture.
Working Properties:
Works fairly easily with hand or machine tools and has good screw and nail holding properties. Glues well and stains and polishes to an excellent finish. Natural acidity tends to cause blue-black stains when in contact with iron.
Drying and Shrinkage:
Chestnut is diffuclt and time consuming to dry properly, stays in place readily and is so easy to dry that the chances of getting thoroughly dry lumber are much greater than they would be if oak were used.
Durability:
Medium weight with low crushing strength, very low stiffness and shock resistance, moderate decay resistance and poor stability in use.
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