Black Willow
Salix nigra · hardwood · Eastern North America · moderate movement
- Janka hardness 430 lbfred oak ≈ 1,290 lbf
- Density ≈ 27 lb/ft³specific gravity 0.39 at 12% MC
- Shrinkage — tangential 8.7%flatsawn width, green → ovendry
- Shrinkage — radial 3.3%quartersawn width
- T/R ratio 2.6 : 1higher = more cupping in flatsawn stock
Shop notes Light and shock-absorbent — once artificial-limb stock. Fuzzy to machine; better carved or turned than joined.
Seasonal movement at a glance
Width change for black willow across a typical indoor year — 6% moisture content in the heated winter to 12% in a humid summer:
| Board width | Flatsawn | Quartersawn |
|---|---|---|
| 6″ | 1/8″ (0.112″) | 1/32″ (0.042″) |
| 12″ | 7/32″ (0.224″) | 3/32″ (0.085″) |
| 24″ | 7/16″ (0.447″) | 5/32″ (0.170″) |
| 36″ | 21/32″ (0.671″) | 1/4″ (0.255″) |
Run your own numbers
Different width, different climate swing — the calculator below is preset to black willow:
Typical swings:
Black Willow questions
How much does black willow move with the seasons?
A 12″-wide flatsawn black willow board moves about 7/32″ across a typical indoor swing from 6% to 12% moisture content; quartersawn, about 3/32″. Its tangential shrinkage is 8.7% and radial 3.3% (green to ovendry) — a moderate-movement wood.
How hard is black willow?
Black Willow rates about 430 lbf on the Janka scale — soft enough to dent in daily use (red oak is roughly 1,290 lbf). Density runs about 27 lb/ft³ at indoor moisture levels.
Is black willow good for wide panels and tabletops?
Carefully. Its tangential-to-radial ratio of 2.6:1 makes flatsawn boards prone to cupping — choose quartersawn stock for wide glue-ups, alternate growth rings, and fasten tops so they can slide.
Similar species
Eastern Cottonwood · Bigtooth Aspen · American Basswood · Butternut · Quaking Aspen · American Chestnut
Shrinkage, specific gravity, and hardness from the Wood Handbook, FPL-GTR-282 (2021 edition), USDA Forest Products Laboratory (public domain). Values are species averages — individual boards vary with growth conditions and how they were dried.