Are Sap Streaks in Walnut Furniture Normal?
Yes, sap streaks naturally occur in walnut wood. This question is a lot more common than you might think. Walnut is one of the furniture industry’s most premium, highly sought-after wood species.
This post addresses any questions you might have regarding these streaks. Some people think they are a defect, and some wonder if they can order walnut furniture without the streaks.
We recently received a call from a customer wondering if the light-colored streak in their new walnut chair was a defect. So, today, we will explain why nature puts these artistic streaks into walnut wood and what you can do if you don’t want them.
Table of Contents
What is Tree Sap?
Sap is the liquid full of water, minerals, nutrients, and sugars that circulates about providing life and energy to the living tree. It is like the blood of the tree.
Are Sap Streaks in Furniture Sticky?
When sapwood is visible on hardwood furniture, it is an aesthetic variance but not sticky. We recently wrote about aromatic cedar and how it can leak or ooze sap in certain instances, but this is not an issue in kiln-dried hardwoods like walnut.
What is Sapwood?
The sapwood is just below the bark on the outer layer of the tree trunk. This part of the tree transports water and nutrients (sap) from the roots up to the leaves. If the sap is the blood, the sapwood is the tree’s veins.
What Does Sapwood Look Like?
Sapwood appears as lighter-toned streaks or patches in the wood grain that appear almost creamy. There can be a pronounced contrast between the sapwood and the heartwood.
Is Sapwood a Flaw in Walnut Furniture?
No. Sapwood is not a flaw and is unavoidable in many solid wood construction projects. The majority of handmade solid-wood furniture uses a combination of heartwood and sapwood. We always say that the natural grain of the wood adds a bit of the personality of each tree to your furniture. The reality is, these sapwood streaks are a part of the furniture’s natural charm and appeal.
How Can I Avoid Sap Streaks in my Walnut Furniture?
Select Heartwood-Only Walnut
This would require a special selection of only the tree’s heartwood. Remember, the heartwood is the inner part of the trunk, and the sapwood is on the outside of the trunk. You can select walnut heartwood only if the option is available on the product. It might read as “select walnut,” “premium walnut,” or something similar. That indicates that the sapwood has been removed from the heartwood. A select walnut piece would be heartwood only.
Custom Quote Request
Another option is to contact one of our trained furniture specialists. They can contact the builder of the particular product you are looking at and request a custom quote. The builder may or may not be able to offer an option to sort out the sapwood.
Be aware that many builders won’t be able to do this, which will cost more on material and cause more waste.
Choose a Darker Stain to Help Mute the Contrast
If you don’t like the contrast between the light sapwood and the darker heartwood, you can mute the contrast with a much darker stain.
Conclusion
People pay a premium for walnut wood because of its strength and durability, but also because of the unique and unpredictably beautiful wood grain. The sapwood is a vital part of the tree. Sometimes our builders will sign a handmade piece of furniture upon completion. We like to think of the sapwood streaks in walnut as a signature from Mother Nature.
More Walnut Resources
- 5 Best Stains for Walnut Wood
- Guide to Walnut Wood Furniture
- Walnut vs. Brown Maple
- Walnut vs. Cherry
- 10 Questions About Live Edge Furniture
This post was originally published on July 25th, 2013. It was updated on January 30th, 2025. If you have spoken Read more
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Seth Carter has been with DutchCrafters since 2020. Seth has won multiple awards for his work in Amish furniture while with DutchCrafters. He has advised and partnered with more than 150 Amish wood shops on furniture presentation, design, industry trends, product options, and the development of exclusive products. He is originally from Indiana and even lived in Amish country (LaGrange, Indiana) for an extended period of time while working with DutchCrafters. Seth was previously in charge of DutchCrafters' Amish bedroom furniture category. He was eventually promoted to lead the team that managed every product in DutchCrafters' world's largest online collection of Amish furniture.
