Home / Wood Compare / Black Walnut vs African Mahogany
Professional Comparison · Verified Engineering Data · Updated 19 July 2026
Black Walnut VS African Mahogany
Which wood is better for your project? Scores are computed from the verified figures on each species page — how we score.
🥇
Black Walnut
69/100 Library Score
🪵Hardwood💧Moisture Stable
- Stronger in bending (MOR 101.0 vs 78.6 MPa)
🥈
African Mahogany
58/100 Library Score
🪵Hardwood💧Moisture Stable
- Lighter (0.52 vs 0.55 g/cm³)
- Solid choice where its profile fits the project
Visual comparison
Black WalnutAfrican Mahogany
Winner by category
There isn't one universally best wood — there's a best wood for each purpose.
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Durability | Tie |
| Stability | Tie |
| Hardness | African Mahogany |
| Strength (MOR) | Black Walnut |
| Stiffness (MOE) | Black Walnut |
| Flame spread | Tie |
| Machining ease | Tie |
| Lightness | African Mahogany |
Engineering data
| Property | Black Walnut | African Mahogany |
|---|---|---|
| Janka Hardness | 1010WD lbf | 1070WD lbf |
| Density | 0.55FPL g/cm³ | 0.52FPL g/cm³ |
| MOE | 11.6FPL GPa | 9.7FPL GPa |
| MOR | 101.0FPL MPa | 78.6FPL MPa |
| Durability | Class 3 Moderately Durable | Class 3 Moderately Durable |
| Stability | Excellent | Excellent |
| Fire (E84) | Class B indicative | Class B indicative |
| Radial Shrink | 5.5WD % | 3WD % |
| Tangential Shrink | 7.8WD % | 5WD % |
| T/R Ratio | 1.42 | 1.67 |
Figures carry the same source status as the species pages they come from — verified where cited, indicative where marked.
Best for
| Application | Recommended | Suitability |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor decking / pergola | 🥇 Black Walnut | ★★★★☆ |
| Exterior cladding | 🥇 African Mahogany | ★★★★☆ |
| Flooring / wear surfaces | 🥇 African Mahogany | ★★★☆☆ |
| Furniture / interior joinery | 🥇 Black Walnut | ★★★★☆ |
| Structural / load-bearing | 🥇 Black Walnut | ★★★☆☆ |
Advantages & limitations
Black Walnut
Advantages
- Very low movement in service
Limitations
- Few practical drawbacks within its intended uses
African Mahogany
Advantages
- Very low movement in service
Limitations
- Few practical drawbacks within its intended uses
Recommendation
Choose Black Walnut if…
- You want the stronger all-round engineering profile
Choose African Mahogany if…
- Weight matters — ceilings, wall panels, transport
- Its profile matches the application better than a single overall score
Frequently asked questions
Which is more durable, Black Walnut or African Mahogany?
Neither — both carry the same EN 350 rating (Class 3, Moderately Durable). For outdoor decisions between them, weigh dimensional stability and hardness instead.
Which wood is better for outdoor use?
They are closely matched outdoors — durability and stability come out almost level. Let the application decide: harder surface for decking traffic, lighter weight for cladding.
Is Black Walnut harder than African Mahogany?
No — African Mahogany is harder (Janka 1070 vs 1010 lbf).
How we score. Each wood gets a weighted composite of the verified figures shown above: durability 22%, stability 18%, hardness 12%, bending strength 12%, machining ease 12%, stiffness 8%, flame spread 8%, lightness 8%. The Library Score is that composite's percentile rank within our 60-species library — 50 means the library median, 90 means it outperforms nine of every ten species we cover. No price data is scored — cost guidance is qualitative. The score summarises the data; it does not replace judgement about your specific application.