Walnut wood is a richly brown hardwood that makes for incredibly eye-catching furniture. But, can it also make for an eye-catching pyrography canvas?
Well, in this post, you will learn which key four criteria you should check for when selecting pyrography lumber. You’ll also discover if Walnut wood is really suitable for wood burning — or if drawing onto this dark timber isn’t worth the bother.
This post may contain affiliate links to products that we receive a commission for (at no additional cost to you). Learn more here.
What Is The Best Type of Wood For Pyrography?
The best wood types for wood burning meet the following four key criteria;
1). They Have Light Color Grain
A light backdrop provides the perfect contrasting background for those dark burn lines. And any shading work you do doesn’t become obscured by that wooden canvas either.
2). They Have Uniform Grain
Wood types that have very clear and distinct contrasting grain, (such as Oak wood), can affect the clarity of your art.
Related Post: Beginners Guide To Reducing Oak Grain Contrast (Explained)
Basically, burning into these particular types of lumber can make your drawing look like a fading photocopy.
3). They Contain Very Little Tree Sap Or Pitch
Certain types of wood, (particularly conifer softwoods), are saturated with sticky tree resins. And when it comes to wood burning, this is a problem for a couple of reasons.
First off, excess tree sap can produce an excessive amount of thick smoke as you burn it.
Second, when you burn into these sap-saturated woods, the heat from your pyrography pen will cause sap to bubble. And those super-heated bubbling resins will mess up the clarity of your burn lines.
4). They Should Not Contain Any Toxins Or Chemicals
Avoid wood burning into any poisonous tree species, such as the Yew tree. These particular types of trees contain toxic compounds that you don’t want wafting around in the air of your workshop.
What’s more, you should steer clear of any chemically treated woods, such as pressure treated wood.
And, you should also avoid drawing onto manufactured woods, such as Plywood or MDF. Especially when these engineered wood composite materials often contain formaldehyde-based glues.
Related Post: Is Plywood Really A Safe Wood For Pyrography?
What About Walnut? Can You Wood Burn Drawings Onto Walnut Wood?
Well, Walnut isn’t a sap-rich timber. And it is not a toxic tree species either. Plus, the texture of Walnut grain won’t get in the way of your art.
So, if you can get your hands on some light-hued Walnut, then it will contrast nicely against burn lines.
However, Walnut wood is a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to the color of this lumber. You can get Walnut wood that ranges from light hazel to rich dark brown.
And very dark grained Walnut wood will mute the clarity of your burn lines and obscure any shading.
What’s more, this timber is very pricey. So, it is certainly not one to simply practice with. Unless you have money to burn of course (pun intended!).
Related Post: Is Basswood A Good Wood For Pyrography?
To Wrap Up, Here Are The 3 Key Takeaways From This Post…
- 1). Wood types that have light color fine uniform grain are ideal for pyrography art.
- 2). Always avoid wood burning any wood that contains toxic compounds or chemical treatments.
- 3). Lighter-hued Walnut wood is good for pyrography. Yet, very dark brown Walnut wood can make it difficult for your designs to show up clearly.
