American chestnut

Photo and data from Forest World

Common Names

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American chestnut

Chestnut

Chinkapin

English chestnut

European chestnut

Spanish chestnut

Sweet chestnut

Common Uses

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Cabinetmaking

Canes

Decorative plywood

Furniture

Joinery

Millwork

Bedroom suites

Chairs

Chests

Desks

Dining-room furniture

Dowell pins

Dowells

Drawer sides

Floor lamps

Handles

Hatracks

Interior trim

Kitchen cabinets

Living-room suites

Office furniture

Radio, stereo, TV cabinets

Rustic furniture

Stools

Tables

Wardrobes

Species Distribution

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REGIONS:

North America

COUNTRIES:

Canada

United States

Physical and Environmental Profile

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Environmental Profile

This species has officially been classified as Vulnerable
within natural habitat in the states of Iowa, Maryland, and Michigan.
It is also reported to be Rare in Canada, while its status is reported
to be either Extinct, Endangered, Rare, or Vulnerable in Mississippi
(Source - World Conservation Monitoring Center - 1992 ).

Although it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery,
Chestnut is reported to be relatively abundant (often more than 100 occurrences),
but there are some long-term concerns about its abundance in the wild
(Source - The Nature Conservancy - Rank of relative endangerment based primarily
on the number of occurrences of the species globally).

Distribution

The growth range Chestnut in North America is reported to include
extreme southern Ontario in Canada.
In the United States it is reported to occur in Alabama, California, Connecticut, Delaware,
Florida, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Ontario, Iowa, Missouri,
New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Maine, Louisiana, North Carolina,
Great Smoky Mountain National Park, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee,
Maryland, Illinois, Georgia, Mississippi, Virginia, Vermont, Indiana, Wisconsin, and West Virginia.
The tree grows in moist upland soils and is usually found in mixed forests
at altitudes of up to 4000 feet (1219 m).

Product Sources

It is not known at present whether timber from this species is obtainable
from sustainably managed or other environmentally responsible sources.

Almost all standing chestnut trees have been killed by the chestnut blight (Endothia parasitica ),
which appeared first in 1904 in New York City,
and spread very quickly through the entire range of the species.
By 1925,
the blight is reported to have destroyed the American chestnut population in an area covering about
1000 miles north, south, and west of New York City.
Current supplies of chestnut lumber are reported to come from dead trees,
most of which can be found standing in the Appalachian Mountains.
Dead fallen trees are reported to lead still as
the primary source of tannin from all tree growing in the United States.

Wormy Chestnut is reported to be produced from
dead chestnut trees that are attacked by small insects which burrow
small round holes throughout the entire tree, giving the resulting wood an antique appearance.
Wormy chestnut is reported to be moderately expensive,
and is popular for the manufacture of picture frames and novelties.
It is also sliced for decorative veneer.

Some hybrids of chestnut, such as those obtained from Chinese species (which are resistant to the blight)
and American species, are also being developed for ornamental, shade, and as wild trees.

Tree Data

American chestnut, which was formerly a large tree, now grow as small sprouts at the base of dead trees.
The height of the fully grown tree is about 20 feet (6 m), with a diameter of about 4 inches (10 cm).
The tree is reported to have grown to a height of about 60 to 100 feet
(18 to 30 m) and a diameter of about 24 to 48 inches (60 to 120 cm).

Sapwood Color

The narrow sapwood is whitish to light brown in color.

Heartwood Color

The heartwood is grayish brown to brown in color, and may age to dark brown.
The wood is usually scattered with worm holes.

Grain

The grain is normally straight, but may be spiral.

Texture

The wood is fairly coarse to coarse in texture.

Natural Durability

Chestnut is reported to have high natural resistance to decay.
         An untreated sample of the wood can stay in contact with the ground for over twenty years before it decays.
Blue-black iron stains will occur if the wood comes in contact with iron under moist conditions.

Cutting Resistance

The timber is reported to be fairly difficult to saw.

Blunting Effect

Blunting effect on cutters is reported to be rather slight

Planing

The wood is fairly difficult to plane.

Turning

The material is reported to respond well to turning.

Moulding

Moulding properties are rated as generally good.

Boring

The wood is characteristically very easy to bore.

Routing & Recessing

The material is reported to rout easily.

Mortising

Mortising operations are reported to be fairly difficult.

Gluing

The wood glues well.

Nailing

Pre-boring is recommended, but nail-holding properties are reported to be good.

Screwing

Screwing is reported to require pre-boring.

Sanding

Sanding properties are reported to be fair.

Steam Bending

Steam bending properties are rated as rather poor.

Strength Properties

The species has medium bending strength in the air-dry condition (about 12 percent moisture content).
It is closer in strength to Mahogany than either Teak or White oak,
which have higher bending strength.
Its strength in compression parallel to grain is medium, but ower than that of Teak.
The wood is soft, and surfaces may dent easily. It also does not wear well, and mars easily.
The weight is medium.

Comments:

A victim of chestnut-blight, a disease caused by an introduced fungus,
American chestnut has been wiped out from the forests.
Fortunately, the species can be cultivated in the western states
and other areas where the blight is absent.
Some hybrids of the species,
such as those from American and Chinese species, which are resistant to the disease
are also being developed for ornament, shade, and wildilife.
The leaves of the American chestnut were once used in medicine to cure whooping cough.
Through developments in pharmacology,
its properties have been made into those of a mild astringent.
The trees were also a source of very delicious nuts.

Reference Sources

Numerical Data Source

USDA. 1987. Wood Handbook: Wood as an Engineering Material.
Agriculture Handbook No. 72.
United States Department of Agriculture,
Forest Service, Madison, Wisconsin.

Descriptive Data Source

Panshin, A. J. and C. deZeeuw. Textbook of Wood Technology.
McGraw-Hill Series in Forest Resources.
McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York.

Jackson, A. and D. Day. 1991. Good Wood Handbook -
The Woodworker's Guide to Identifying, Selecting and Using the Right Wood.
Betterway Publications, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Boone, R. S., C. J. Kozlik, P. J. Bois, and E. M. Wengert. 1988.
Dry Kiln Schedules for Commercial Woods: Temperate and Tropical.
USDA, Forest Service, General Technical Report FPL-GTR-57,
Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin.

USDA. 1988. Dry Kiln Operators Manual, Preliminary Copy.
Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin.

Kaiser, J. 1989. Wood of the Month -
Chestnut: American Chestnut Suffers from Blight; Supplies are Limited.
Wood of the Month Annual, Volume 1, Supplement to Wood and Wood Products. Page 29-30.

Kaiser, J. Wood of the Month:Chestnut. Wood and Wood Products, December, 1990. Page 44.

Little, E.L. 1980. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees - Eastern Region.
Published by Arthur A. Knopf, New York.

Kline, M. 1980. Castanea dentata - American chestnut.
In A Guide to Useful Woods of the World, Flynn Jr.,
J.H., Editor. King Philip Publishing Co., Portland, Maine. 1994. Page 92-93.

Dave Faison. Into the Woods. Personal Communication, 1993.