How does black walnut change its color. some of the wood will be back walnut as we know it dark, and then some of it is as white as pine?

 

Preston

The sapwood of black walnut can be very light, almost white, in color.

 

 

To add to lew's post some people steam their Walnut boards to make the sap wood dark. You can usually buy it cheaper but IMO it doesn't look good.

Steamed walnut only somewhat evens out the color the sapwood is still lighter. Almost all kiln dried is steamed to increase the yield. Air dried walnut has multiple colors of which you will even see grays and blues. As to color change on continuous exposure to light takes many years and it will not get completely white , more like a light chocolate brown. Just like the the way cherry darkens there are differences from one tree or board to another as to haw this color will change and it will be no where near as obvious as cherry.

Dye (not stain) it to a dark color and when the wood gets darker you will not notice the change.

14 hours ago, Gerald said:

Air dried walnut has multiple colors of which you will even see grays and blues.

Two weeks ago, while picking up some hemlock boards for my son's house, I got a demonstration of an 'Alaskan mill' He took a 2 1/2" slab off an 8' walnut log about 30" wide. That log had the most beautiful PURPLE color I have ever seen on walnut!

John

I found that letting walnut sit in the swamp for 8-9 years lets it get very dark.

It's got to be wet all the time so it wont rot. 

Gorgeous