Making wood not crack

I think ill gray it but hand carve the tiny little splits and checks on the outside. Definitely test this out first Let it soak for a few hours. Then put it under a heat lamp. If that doesn't work, I have no other ideas.

I spend all of my time trying to figure out how to make wood NOT crack. I'd go with Eric's wet cloth suggestion. Put it in the fridge while the water is soaking in, then dry it in hot sun or under a heat lamp to get thermal shock along with fast demoisturization. If that doesn't do it, use a hammer. Make the finish crack instead of changing he actually integrity of work piece.

Depending on your finish there's lacquer based "crackle lacquer" and then there's hide glue which is compatible with most finishes. I'll crack that sucka.. I'll hit it with a hammer and striking chisel. If that don't work, I'll bring it to a karate tournament. And if all else fails, lay it on the train tracks. You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Here at Carolina Timberworks, we think of them as wrinkles in a cotton shirt.

It proves the timber is real. Checks are what make a solid timber look different from a boxed beam. Look at the reclaimed timber below. It is impossible to predict where a check will appear in timber. It is the check that gives this reclaimed Oak timber so much of its character and a big part of what makes it completely unique and different from any other beam in the world. Have you ever taken a hot loaf of artisan bread out of the oven, and put your ear to it?

Throw another log into the woodstove, and listen carefully. Roll over and go back to sleep. This hypothetical green wet log would contain a little over 1 ton of water or about five 55 gallon drums of water. Sometimes when we drive a chisel into green wet timber, water spurts out of the wood.

The photograph below shows water in a freshly cut Cypress timber—and how the timber is drying from the outside in. It depends on the humidity of the environment in which the timber is located, but one rule of thumb is that timber air dries about one inch per year.

Avoid checking on the slice or disturbing it so the solution can soak into the wood evenly. Once the wood slice is saturated with the solution, put on a pair of rubber gloves and carefully take it out and allow the excess to run off into the container.

Lean the slice against a wall or prop it up on its side in a warm, well-ventilated location such as a garage, basement, or shed. Let it dry for up to a week so the solution can evaporate and the wood can dry without cracking. Method 2. Use a salt paste to naturally dry the wood out and restrict shrinkage.

Salt is a natural drying agent that will help remove the moisture from the wood while also reducing the speed that the wood shrinks as it dries. Using salt is a simple way to help prevent cracks from forming as the wood dries without using harsh or pungent chemicals.

Mix 3 pounds 1. Fill a clean, medium-sized bucket with fresh water. Use standard table salt so it mixes better with the water. This amount of salt paste will allow you to coat several large slices of wood. Let the solution stand for hours then add cornstarch to form a paste. Then, add about 1 cup g of corn starch at a time and stir the mixture well. Add 3 egg whites to the mixture and stir it well. When the mixture is the right consistency, slowly pour in the egg whites and stir it well to combine them.

Continue mixing until the egg whites disappear into the paste to help keep it from flaking as the wood slice dries after you apply it. Cover the entire slice with the paste using a brush. Dip a clean paintbrush into the paste and spread it onto the wood slice using smooth, consistent strokes to create an even layer over the surface. Stand the slice on its side so you can paint the other side. Place the wood in a warm, well-ventilated area to air dry.

Once the slice is completely covered with the paste, place it somewhere warm that has good circulation such as a shelf in a garage or shed. The salt paste will draw the moisture out of the slice and keep it from shrinking too quickly and cracking. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. We also clap them together in two wooden 21 inch sticks for a stick dance. Hi Tiffany. I Am mfr of willow clefts and keep them for drying in open for so many months the clefts get cracked please tell me any remedy.

Hi Rashid. Hi Gerry. By doing a lot of it you will probably develop a good sense of what is ideal. Thanks Paul-Woodworkers Guild of America. The correct moisture content for your piece is a function of local climate. What will work in Florida will shrink, crack or twist in Nevada. Wet or green wood will take around 1 year per inch of thickness to reach this condition.

My pergola wood is splitting. It was sealed with Thompson water sealer last year. How can I stop it from splitting even more. Hi Luann. It should stop on its own once the wood reaches moisture equilibrium. For future reference, the best way to minimize cracking to seal the ends right away after the boards are cut. Applying coats of Thompson sealer to the end grain would likely help to minimize the cracking. Hi Robert. Some species crack a bit; red oak seems to be prone to it from my experience.