Sweet Chestnut is an English hardwood which used to be a cheap alternative to Oak. Good quality Chestnut is currently scarce and should not have ‘ring-shakes’ or yellow discolouration.
Chestnut may be used for interior joinery when kiln-dried and is stocked as logsawn yielding widths of 100mm - 220mm and lengths 2m - 3.5metre.
Thicknesses; 26mm, 32mm, 38mm and 52mm
| Machines well | |
| Satisfactory for nailing, screwing and gluing | |
| Takes finishes well | |
| Low resistance to shock | |
| Low bending strength, not recommended for bending | |
| Splits easily | |
| Low stiffness |
| Good overall strength | |
| Excellent shock resistance | |
| Good resistance to abrasive wear |
| Highly durable | |
| Sapwood susceptible to lyctus and common furniture beetle | |
| Sapwood and heartwood can be attacked by death watch beetle | |
| Seasons slowly, liable to collapse and honeycombing |
| Alternative to Oak for structural work and panelling | |
| Furniture | |
| Turning |
