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Color/Appearance: Color can range from a pale greenish-yellow to a darker brown. Tends to darken to a russet brown with age. Can be confused with Osage Orangeand Honey Locustin some instances.
Grain/Texture: Grain is usually straight, with a medium texture.
Endgrain: Ring-porous; large earlywood pores 2-3 pores wide, small latewood pores in clusters and tangential bands; tyloses extremely abundant; growth rings distinct; narrow to medium rays barely visible without lens, spacing normal; parenchyma vasicentric, lozenge, and confluent.
Rot Resistance: Rated as very durable in regard to decay resistance, with good weathering characteristics. Frequently used as fence posts for its outdoor longevity.
Workability: Overall working characteristics for Black Locust are mixed: although the grain is usually straight, its high density and hardness can make it difficult to machine. Black Locust also has a moderate blunting effect on cutting edges. Responds very well to both lathe turning and steam bending; glues and finishes well.
Odor: No characteristic odor.
Allergies/Toxicity: Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, Black Locust has been reported to cause eye and skin irritation. Another (uncommon) side effect reported is nausea. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicityand Wood Dust Safetyfor more information.
Pricing/Availability: Black Locust prices can vary depending on location, but prices should be moderate within its natural range. Those living in the eastern United States can expect prices to be comparable to White Oak. In other areas where the lumber has been imported, the prices can be much higher.
Sustainability: This wood species is not listed in the CITES Appendices, and is reported by the IUCN as being a species of least concern.
Common Uses: Fence posts, boatbuilding, flooring, furniture, mine timbers, railroad ties, turned objects, and veneer.
Comments: Black Locust is a very hard and strong wood, competing with Hickory (Carya genus) as the strongest and stiffest domestic timber: but with more stability and rot resistance.
Although it shares a similar common name with Honey Locust, the two aren’t in the same genus, (Robinia and Gleditsia, respectively). Black Locust tends to be slightly heavier, harder, and with more of a green or yellow tinge, while Honey Locust tends to have a warmer orange or red tint.
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