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Our Reclaimed Chestnut lumber comes from New England
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Physical Properties
American Chestnut is straight grained and rich in tannins. It is light and soft, yet it is strong and durable. Due to the tannins, it has a high resistance to rot, insects, and most fungi; the blight unfortunately not one of them. It has a slow drying time and is prone to cracking.
Working Properties
American Chestnut is a good all-purpose wood. It is easy to work. Although it nails and screws well, pre-drilling is suggested. It has gluing qualities. It sands to a smooth finish that remains smooth under friction.
 
Main Uses
American Chestnut was known to serve ìcradle to grave,î as well as all else between. Historically it was used for railroad ties, fence posts, barn and home construction, millwork, furniture, flooring, and coffins. Today the reclaimed wood is used for furniture, flooring, interior accents, and wooden.
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The American Chestnut was once a staple of rural American living. It is still known as one of the most rapid growing hardwoods. Unfortunately, these trees are not able to live very long due to the chestnut blight, a fatal fungal disease brought over from Asia circa 1904. American Chestnut trees are very rare but are not extinct. This being the case, the only lumber available is reclaimed from old buildings.
The heartwood ranges from a brown to gray-brown. Due to its rapid growth, there is little sapwood, which is whitish in color. It is part of the Oak family and is often mistaken for Oak when being reclaimed.
Habitat
American Chestnut natively grows across the extents of Appalachian Range, stretching from Maine to Mississippi and north to the Lake Erie region. It tends to prefer rich, well-drained soils but due to its deep tap root system, it can grow rocky,
dry soils as well. They once occupied forests, meadows and pastures in
great numbers.
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