Summary chestnut wood properties

Curious about chestnut wood properties? More information below:

Other names:	1. European chestnut, sweet chestnut (Netherlands), Edelkastanie (Germany), châtaignier (France), sweet chestnut, Spanish chestnut (Britain). 2. American chestnut (Netherlands), chestnut (United States).
Botanical name:	1. Castanea sativa Mill. 2. Castanea dentata (Marsh) Bork.
Family:	Fagaceae.
Growth area:	1. Western and southern Europe, Asia Minor, North Africa. 2. Eastern North America.
Tree description:	Height 15-25 m, maximum 30 m. Diameter 0.6-1.0 m, maximum 1.5 m. The branch-free trunk is 6-15 m. Is also extracted as coppice for poles, in 15-20-year runs. Ring cracks and looseness often occur in old trunks. The so-called wild chestnut or horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum L.) is a completely different tree species and its chestnut wood properties are not as good as those of sweet chestnut.
Supply:	Edged wood, split wood for fence posts.
Wood description:	The light brown to dark brown coloured wood is very similar to oak, but is lighter in weight and is somewhat easier to work. The dirty-white sapwood is about 13 mm wide. Sweet chestnut is ring-pored and has the same grain pattern as oak on the flat grain, but lacks the "mirror" pattern that is so characteristic of oak. Sweet chestnut has a high tannic acid content that accelerates corrosion of metals. Especially iron and steel require caution when in contact with damp wood. In the fresh wood of European chestnut, yellow discolourations occur due to oxidation of content substances. Varnishing accentuates these stains, which, when exposed to light depending on the light intensity, disappear after several weeks to months.
Wood type:	hardwood
Thread:	Mostly straight.
Nerf:	Moderately coarse to coarse.
Volumetric mass:	1. (490-)540 (-650) or (540-)590(-650) kg/m3 at 12% moisture content, fresh 1040 kg/m3. 2. 480 kg/m3 at 12% moisture content.
Works:	Mediocre.
Drying:	Slow, with tendency for collapses, deformation and cracks.
Workability:	Chestnut properties: Sweet chestnut can be sawn and planed without difficulty. In highly sensitive individuals, exposure to chestnut dust can cause dermatitis (skin inflammation).
Nailing and screwing:	Moderate. Do not use iron bonding agents due to high tannic acid content.
Adhesives:	Good.
Bend:	Good, with error-free material.
Surface finish:	Moderate. With water-based paints, apply a pre-treatment due to the high tannic acid content.
Sustainability:	Fungi in soil contact 2. Anobium G. Termites M. Hesperophanes spint G.
Strength class:
Impregnability:	Heartwood 4. Sapwood 2.

Applications:	Suitable for exterior and interior joinery, laminated wood constructions, furniture industry, funeral coffins, interior and exterior panelling, sculpture, turning and carving, kitchen utensils, walking sticks, mouldings, exterior doors, garden furniture, parquet flooring (solid and tapis), ship and bodywork panelling, food boxes and barrels, etc. The lower grades, due to their high durability, are used for (cleft) fence posts, fruit stakes, poles and farm timbers. Thin wood and wood waste are used for chipboard manufacture.