The softest of the closed-grained hardwoods, walnut is heavily employed for kitchen island tops and countertops. The medium to large pores of this food-safe wood offer more resistance to bacteria and moisture than cherry but less so than maple or beechwood. It also shrinks less than maple or beechwood, so behave well when is employed as a countertop or a kitchen island top. What’s more, the rich chocolate coloured hue of the wood masks everyday stains and lends countertops and kitchen island tops a high-end look. With time, however, it develops a rich, lustrous patina that accounts for its aristocratic elegance.
