Mahogany vs walnut
True mahogany and black walnut are the classic fine-furniture woods of two continents. Walnut is the harder; mahogany moves much less.
- Black walnut is about 26% harder than true mahogany.
- Black walnut is about 17% heavier than true mahogany.
- Black walnut has about 94% more movement across a flatsawn board than true mahogany.
Each column is the species its page leads with: true mahogany for mahogany, black walnut for walnut.
Side by side
| Property | Mahogany | Walnut |
|---|---|---|
| Janka hardness, 12% MC | 800 lbf | 1,010 lbf |
| Weight, 12% MC | 33 lb/ft³ (529 kg/m³) | 38.5 lb/ft³ (616 kg/m³) |
| Specific gravity, 12% MC | — | 0.55 |
| Tangential shrinkage | 4.1% | 7.8% |
| Radial shrinkage | 3.0% | 5.5% |
| 12 in flatsawn board, 6% → 12% MC | 0.102 in | 0.197 in |
| 12 in quartersawn board, 6% → 12% MC | 0.074 in | 0.137 in |
| Bending strength (MOR), 12% MC | 11,500 psi | 14,600 psi |
| Stiffness (MOE), 12% MC | 1.5 million psi | 1.68 million psi |
| Crushing strength, 12% MC | 6,780 psi | 7,580 psi |
One source: USDA Forest Products Laboratory, the authority for species properties it measured
Wood Handbook Tables 5-3b, 5-5b, 4-3, 4-4 and 13-5; weight and movement worked with its Eqs. 4-14, 13-3 and 13-4. A dash means the Handbook prints no value.
What sets them apart
- Which mahogany
- The name mahogany covers three woods: true (American) mahogany, African mahogany (Khaya), and “Philippine mahogany”, which the Handbook treats under the meranti groups. This page is true mahogany. (Wood Handbook, p. 2-28 to 2-29)
- Stability
- True mahogany dries without appreciable warp or checks and has excellent dimensional stability. Black walnut is stable in use. (Wood Handbook, p. 2-10 and 2-29)
- Working and finishing
- Mahogany is very easy to work with hand and machine tools and takes an excellent polish. Walnut is easily worked and well suited for natural finishes. (Wood Handbook, p. 2-10 and 2-29)
- Strength
- The Handbook compares air-dried true mahogany’s strength with American elm’s. Walnut is heavy, hard, strong and stiff. (Wood Handbook, p. 2-10 and 2-29)
For any other pair, open each species page from the wood hub; every page uses the same layout and the same sources.