Wormy Chestnut

Chestnut wood is straight-grained, strong, and easy to saw and split. It lacks the radial end grain found on most other hardwoods. Being rich in tannins, the wood is highly resistant to decay and therefore used for a variety of purposes, including furniture, split-rail fences, shingles, home construction, flooring, piers, and plywood. Although larger trees are no longer available for milling, much chestnut wood has been reclaimed from historic barns to be refashioned into furniture and other items. "Wormy" chestnut refers to a grade of wood that has insect wear, having been sawn from long-dead, blight-killed trees. This "wormy" wood has since become fashionable for its rustic character.