American Walnut Floors for New York Residences: Grade, Pattern and Finish
Posted October 30, 2026
How to choose American walnut for a New York residence: grade, plank width, pattern, and whether to finish in the factory or on site.
Call (908) 232-6600 or book a virtual consultation to review samples and specifications for your project.
American walnut, Juglans nigra, is the darker, quieter counterpart to oak. In a prewar apartment or brownstone parlor, its deep brown heartwood reads as furniture rather than flooring.
Below, we walk through the walnut floors in our store by grade, width and pattern, so you can arrive at a consultation with a clear shortlist.
Select, Traditional and Character Grades
Grade sets the tone of a walnut floor more than any other choice. Our American Walnut Select Wide Plank is a Select and Better grade, the calmer and more uniform reading suited to formal rooms and dark millwork.
The American Walnut Traditional Wide Plank allows more of walnut's natural color movement, which suits townhouses and lofts. Both are offered in 3-layer engineered construction, 5/8" or 3/4" thick, in 5" or 7 1/2" widths, with a lacquer or silk oil finish and a lifetime structural warranty.
For a looser, more organic floor, the Character grade carries knots and stronger contrast between heartwood and sapwood.
Wide Plank Walnut for Long, Narrow Rooms
Many Manhattan apartments are long and narrow, from a railroad layout in the West Village to a gallery in a classic six. Wider boards mean fewer seams across the room, which makes the space read as calmer and larger.
Our widest walnut is the American Walnut Character Wide Plank 11 13/16", a 3/4" 3-layer tongue-and-groove engineered board in Character grade with an ultra matte silk oil finish. For a more measured scale, the Select Wide Plank comes in 7 1/2", a width that suits most Upper West Side and Brooklyn Heights living rooms.
Walnut Herringbone for Townhouses and Classic Sixes
Herringbone is the pattern most New York buyers associate with prewar parlors and Upper East Side entry galleries. In walnut it becomes richer and more formal, as our Herringbone and Chevron guide explains.
Our American Black Walnut Herringbone Collection is offered in a Hungarian pattern, Superior selection, varnished with Oil-UV, with Italian and French herringbone patterns also available. The companion American Black Walnut straight plank is 3/4" thick in widths from 3 1/2" to 7 1/2", so a herringbone living room can run into straight-laid walnut in the bedrooms without a change of species.
See every pattern in our herringbone collection.
Considering walnut herringbone or wide plank for your apartment? We can prepare specifications for your building's alteration package.
Walnut Chevron in Select and Traditional Grades
Chevron originated in 17th century France. Unlike herringbone, each plank is cut so the zig and zag meet at a 45 degree angle, which creates a continuous point down the length of the room. Compare every option in our chevron collection.
We carry walnut chevron in two grades: the cleaner American Walnut Select Chevron and the more varied American Walnut Traditional Chevron. Both are offered in 4 1/4", 5" and 7 1/2" widths, 5/8" or 3/4" thick, with lacquer or silk oil and a lifetime structural warranty. In a Tribeca or Chelsea loft, a wide walnut chevron holds its own against high ceilings and large windows.
Unfinished Walnut, Milled to Order
Unfinished walnut is finished on site, which lets a designer match stain, sheen and tone to the millwork in the room. Our unfinished American walnut planks are 3/4" tongue-and-groove boards in Select and Better grade, solid or engineered, in widths from 2 1/4" to 9". Select grade is similar to the Clear grade specified by NOFMA and NWFA.
Every board is custom milled by Luxury Wood NYC on German-made precision molders, back-channeled, and supplied at 6.5% to 8.5% moisture content. For patterns, the Unfinished American Walnut Herringbone is milled with laser-guided equipment to a tolerance of no more than .005" in width or profile, in sizes from 2 1/4" x 11 1/4" to 6" x 36".
Prefinished Solid Walnut in Clear and Character
When a renovation has a tight window, for example a co-op alteration with limited working hours and freight elevator bookings, a prefinished floor shortens the time on site.
Our Walnut Natural Solid Wood Flooring is a 3/4" solid plank, prefinished in a natural tone that ranges from light grayish-brown to deep chocolate, with occasional purplish undertones. Clear grade comes in 3 1/4" and 4 1/4" widths; Character grade, with natural knots and variation, extends to 6 1/4". For a second prefinished tone, see Walnut Mist.
Bring your floor plan to a virtual consultation and we will narrow the walnut options to two or three samples.
Quick Answers
What walnut patterns do you carry?
We carry walnut in straight and wide plank, herringbone (Hungarian, Italian and French) and chevron. See the American Black Walnut Herringbone Collection and the American Walnut Select Chevron for two examples.
Can I order walnut unfinished?
Yes. Our unfinished walnut is 3/4" tongue-and-groove, solid or engineered, in Select and Better grade, and is finished on site.
How wide do your walnut planks go?
Our widest walnut is the American Walnut Character Wide Plank at 11 13/16". Unfinished walnut planks are milled up to 9" wide.
Should I choose solid or engineered walnut for a New York apartment?
We offer both. Engineered walnut can be installed over plywood or concrete subfloors, which is often the deciding factor in new-construction towers; we review your building's requirements during the consultation.
Plan Your Floor
Every walnut floor above is available through our store, and we are glad to help you compare grades, widths and finishes against your plans and your building's alteration agreement.
Call (908) 232-6600, email joe@hugginsflooring.com, or book a virtual consultation. Browse our collections: Herringbone, Chevron, Wide Plank, Parquet.
About The Author
Joe Avila has worked in wood flooring for 26 years. He is NWFA certified (CSI, CI, CWFI, CFS) and teaches NWFA continuing-education courses for architects, designers and flooring professionals.
Comments