New question about walnut trees.

[oldsamdog]

First, let me thank those who replied to my first post.  I do appreciate your comments.  I have some names of buyers now and plan on calling as soon as some of this snow gets off.  About cutting the trees myself, a good point was made about safety and wood splitting.  I had wondered about that myself before I posted.  I do have a friend that logged in the past so I might need to get some help there if I should look at going that way.  Now for my second question, or actually my wifes question.  We are going to build a house and was thinking about a timberframe open area in part of the house and hardwood floors.  Would it make economic sence to use the walnut for the timberframe and have  the logs dried for walnut floors?  Thanks for your help.

[Dodgy Loner]

I think the answer to that question, purely from an economic standpoint, would probably be no. Unless you already have the tools and expertise to accomplish this yourself, I think you will spend as much or more money to have the walnut logs sawn into lumber, dried in a kiln, planed and tongue-and-grooved as you would spend just buying pre-made hardwood flooring. Not to mention the effort that you would put into it. If the logs are of good quality, you would do better economically to sell them and buy the flooring. That assumes, of course, that you are not dead-set on having solid walnut floors in your home. If that is your intention, and cheaper alternatives for flooring are not an option, then yes, it might make sense to make your own flooring.

[beenthere]

Walnut would work for those uses.
Keep in mind that it is darker wood, but other than that, walnut lumber stored in you own "locker" would mean you could use it for many purposes.

[Magicman]

It's your home, your logs/lumber, of course it makes perfect sense.  That's part of the joys and benefits that you can enjoy by being able to use your own logs.  Sure, you might could harvest, market, and sell and make a bit of profit, but then someone else would be enjoying your logs and lumber.

I've sawed Black Walnut that was going to be used for flooring.  Timber/beam construction using Black Walnut would be very nice.

I built our deck using Cherry.  I possibly could have sold it and bought treated lumber, but we are happy, and that's what matters.

 

[Larry]

I think it is a great idea for the timber frame...keep in mind that it will be hard to come across long walnut timbers in the size required.  For flooring maybe not a good idea.  From my viewpoint sawmills cut cants for the walnut flooring manufacture.  The manufacture than steams the cant, resaws it to proper thickness, kiln drys it, than runs it through a molder, and finally cuts to length along with grading.  Most folks doing it at home would put the sapwood in the burn pile...good money going up in smoke.

[Ron Wenrich]

I wouldn't overlook the use of walnut in cabinets.  You could get a striking effect of the sapwood and heartwood, if done right. 

Flooring would be OK, but I think it looks a lot better as an accent piece.  A dark floor seems to darken the room.  I think a lot would depend on the location of the floor.  Walnut isn't as durable as oak or hickory, so it shouldn't be in a high traffic area.  Most people end up putting some sort of rug on the floor.

[Phorester]

You asked "would it make economic sense..." and I agree with Dodgy.  Purely from an economic sense, no.

But I also agree with what the other posters said, if you look at in a different light.  Some people put a premium on making their home or part of it from trees cut from their own land. 

A floor done completely in walnut will indeed be dark. But maybe you could do an inlay of walnut in a lighter floor.  Or a strip of walnut around the perimeter. Or run a 12" strip of lighter wood around the perimeter, then a 12" wide strip of walnut, then the rest of the floor in the lighter sturdier wood.

As stated, walnut cabinets, walnut ceiling beams, walnut stair railings would look very nice.

[ohsoloco]

I think walnut makes wonderful casing.  I cased out the windows in my living room with it (including extension jambs and sills), and eventually will make baseboard as well (the floors are red oak).  A friend had some big walnuts taken down at their house site, had the logs sawn, and made into trim.  The stairs (treads, landing, railing) are also walnut.  Looks real sharp     A whole floor may be too much. 

If you're doing a timber frame, consider using walnut as accents in that as well.  Braces (which can be made from short pieces), or even a post as a focal point.  I milled a walnut log for someone months back who used it in a timber frame.  Sawed two sides and left the other ones live-edge.  You can see it HERE   The rest of the timbers are douglas fir.