After doing some browsing and shopping on our site, you’ll quickly see just how many different types of hardwood are used in the construction of Amish furniture. Whether it’s an Amish dresser, nightstand, chest of drawers, dining table or even an ottoman, only the finest quality hardwoods are used in its construction. This results in a uniquely high-quality look and feel that’s unmatched when compared to other types of furniture. One of the many hardwoods used to construct Amish furniture is walnut, and here we’ll take a closer look at some of its unique characteristics and properties.
Overview of Walnut Hardwood
Although it’s quite durable and physically strong, walnut is one of the easier hardwoods to work with. It has a certain flexibility to it that allows woodworkers to move it around and make the necessary adjustments to create furniture. You can find a wide variety of Amish furniture made out of walnut because of this. Most woodworkers will agree that walnut is more forgiving than some of the other types of hardwoods found in nature.
You might be surprised to learn that there are approximately 20 known species of walnut, although only 6 are native to the US. It’s important to note that different walnut species offers different colors, grain and appearance. The North American native Black Walnut is a popular choice to use in Amish furniture because of its dark tone coloring. The English Walnut is another popular choice.
Benefits of Walnut Hardwood
The greatest benefit to using walnut hardwood in the construction of Amish furniture is the stylishly elegant appearance it offers. If you are looking for a new piece of semi-formal furniture for your home, you simply can’t go wrong with walnut. The light brown/reddish coloring with hints of various other colors is a naturally pleasing and sophisticated look that most homeowners will instantly fall in love with. Of course, there are also several varieties of walnut, so you can choose the one that fits your home decor best
A lesser-known benefit to walnut furniture is its ability to take and hold a finish. You can easily go over walnut Amish furniture with a glossy coat of finish without worrying about it sliding or coming off. Once it’s applied and thoroughly dried, the finish will remain for months or even years to come. Although, we still recommend reapplying the finish on a regular basis to maintain a properly finished look.