Mahogany vs Walnut Wood – What’s the difference?

Mahogany and walnut are both widely used for furniture constructions and have vast popularity in the woodworking world. They both are hardwoods and have equally good workability that makes it difficult to choose a complete winner.

However, by comparing and distinguishing them, we can be clear about its features which will help make a better choice concerning the service they are required for. Let us get right into it.

Mahogany vs Walnut Wood – Difference

Mahogany wood

Mahogany wood is a tropical wood. It is a reddish-brown wood with a dark complexion and a fine and uniform texture with coarse grain patterns. It is unique and attractive that makes it suitable especially for interior decorative objects.

It also has naturally occurring patterns, such as blisters and mottlers, that provide a unique and antique look to the wood. Mahogany is also known to change colors as they age and become even darker. However, due to such features, staining mahogany can be a little difficult than other woods, resulting in a lack of versatility.

While mahogany’s hardness varies from region to region, it occupies a supreme position regarding stability. Straight-grained mahogany woods are highly stable and are easily bendable. That makes them very convenient for various constructions especially, musical instruments and furniture making.

Mahogany has several other uses such as wood boatmaking, flooring, cutting boards, etc. Mahogany woods dry up quicker, have less moisture content, and do not shrink or warp easily. They are also widely preferred because of their high durability and longevity.

Walnut wood

Walnut wood is also a kind of hardwood that is vastly popular in the wood-making industry. It is usually found in shades of dark brown to light brown with a purple undertone. It is relatively lighter in color when compared to other woods like mahogany wood.

Unlike mahogany, walnut woods are a lot simpler with straight grain patterns with a moderate natural luster. They seem a little less attractive than mahogany woods when it comes to appearance. However, that makes walnuts more versatile as they can take up stains and paints better and adapt to various styles. Not to mention, walnut woods are better woods for finishing.

Walnut woods have better hardness than mahogany and are heavier as well. They are dense woods that are widely used for flooring, wood carvings, and furniture. Walnut woods are equally durable and stable wood, and they are also highly resistant against dents. However, their heavyweight and dense features might require more effort.

But walnut woods are very rare now. While mahogany can be extracted from different trees, walnuts are not abundant. This results in the higher price of walnut woods compared to mahogany.

Final Words

We can conclude that mahogany and walnut have different properties and uses. However, they do have some similarities. They are usually used together for projects such as cutting boards and several other constructions. They often go together. But when fine furniture is concerned, their different color hues might cause a problem.

So we see it seems quite difficult to tell which one is better. Both are equally good and have specific grounds that they excel in. Therefore, make a choice that you think will oblige your needs the best.