Finishing a Live-Edge Wood Slab Isn’t So Difficult
- Step 1: Sanding If you’re thinking “ok, let’s get these cracks and openings filled up” as the first thing to do, stop. The first thing to do is to begin sanding to a smooth touch using 120-grit paper. This sanding will reveal any checks that should be addressed prior to doing anything else. ...
- Step 2: Fill in the Voids ...
- Step 3: Finishing up
Full Answer
How to finish a live edge wood slab?
How to Finish a Live Edge Wood Slab 1 Remove the bark and sand the wood. Before sanding, use a chisel to peel off the bark section by section, making sure to work along the edges of your slab ... 2 Bridge splits in the wood with butterfly keys. ... 3 Fill any holes in the slab. ... 4 Finish and seal the slab. ...
How do you remove bark from Live Live edge slabs?
Live edge slabs usually have bark on 2 sides; the other 2 sides are sometimes jagged from where they were cut. If this is the case with your slab, sand the roughness away with 120-grit sandpaper.
Is live edge wood good for furniture?
Live edge wood is an excellent choice for any place going for a mid-century appearance. Carpenters and house decorators have a preference for live edge wood while planning and making wooden products. Though a live edge wood would not look finished and straight, you must still know how to finish live edge wood.
How to sand live edge slab?
How to sand bark on a wood edge?
What is the best surface for a rustic side table?
How long does it take for wood to acclimate to humidity?
Can you sand wood edges?
Do you finish live edge slabs?
See 3 more
About this website
How do you finish a live edge mantle?
2:165:19How To Finish A Live Edge Slab | Tips & Tricks - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou're gonna start at one end going across the grain. And then work your way down to the otherMoreYou're gonna start at one end going across the grain. And then work your way down to the other flattening. The surface and keeping the sander nice and flat.
What is the best finish for live edge?
The three main players on the market are Odie's Oil, Osmo, and my personal choice, Rubio Monocoat. Unlike film finishes, hard-wax oils provide protection by penetrating and binding to the top most wood fibres on the live edge slab and then a seal layer of wax cures on the surface.
What do you seal live edge wood with?
Finish and seal the slab. For a simple oil finish, use a sponge brush to apply three coats of polyurethane, and sand with 500-grit sandpaper after each coat dries. Then, wipe the slab surface down with mineral spirits and wet-sand the slab with a 2000-grit sanding pad.
How do you seal live edge bar top?
Pour over epoxy resin is your best bet to hold the bark in place if you plan on keeping it. Polyurethane would be another option, but won't be quite as strong. Oils and waxes seal the wood, but they aren't going to serve as an adhesive like epoxy would to keep the bark in place.
Is live edge out of style?
Yes! Even though live edge tables have been around for a while now, they're still considered trendy pieces of furniture. Many people are curious about live edge tables and how they are made. In this blog post, we'll take a closer look at these unique pieces of furniture and see why they're still in style.
Is polyurethane or epoxy better for wood?
Is epoxy or polyurethane better for wood? Even though polyurethanes are less tough than epoxies, they generally offer better durability for surfaces like wood, making them the better choice between the two resins. Polys are more durable and long-lasting than any wax available.
Does live edge wood need to be sealed?
Even though live edge slabs lend your woodworking project a natural, rustic look, you still need to finish them. Curing, sanding, and sealing the wood will ensure that your project lasts for years to come.
How do you keep live edge wood from cracking?
You can keep wood from splitting by applying a sealant or stabilizer, using a salt paste, applying varnish, applying paintable wax, or applying boiled linseed oil. Those methods will help you to keep wood from splitting when nailing, screwing, drying, cutting, and sawing.
How do you stop live edge wood from cracking?
The best way to keep wood from splitting as it dries is by using a commercial sealant such as an anchor seal. These sealants can be applied to the open ends of logs and prevent them from drying and shrinking in contact with the air.
What is the best finish to put on a bar top?
For a brushed-on finish, oil-based polyurethane is best. It is significantly more durable than water-based polyurethane for bar tops and restaurant tables because alcohol spills and the chemicals used for cleaning will soften water-based polyurethane over time.
What epoxy do you use for live edge tables?
FGCI SUPERCLEAR EPOXY Resin Kit Crystal Clear 2 Gallon Resin Epoxy Kit for Casting Resin, Art Resin, Mica Pigment Powder, River Tables, Live Edge Tables, BAR Tops, COUNTERTOP EPOXY 1:1.
Should I remove bark from live edge?
yes, it's a good idea to remove the bark from a live edge slab. The bond between the bark and the wood isn't strong at all. Even if it feels solid when you get the slab, it will just be a matter of time before it crumbles and breaks off on its own.
Should I remove bark from live edge?
yes, it's a good idea to remove the bark from a live edge slab. The bond between the bark and the wood isn't strong at all. Even if it feels solid when you get the slab, it will just be a matter of time before it crumbles and breaks off on its own.
How do you season live edge wood?
As a general rule of thumb, you should let your live edge slabs air dry for 1 year per every inch thick they are. Then, they should be kiln dried. You'll want them to be at most 20% moisture level when they are going in the kiln.
What epoxy do you use for live edge tables?
FGCI SUPERCLEAR EPOXY Resin Kit Crystal Clear 2 Gallon Resin Epoxy Kit for Casting Resin, Art Resin, Mica Pigment Powder, River Tables, Live Edge Tables, BAR Tops, COUNTERTOP EPOXY 1:1.
Do live edge tables crack?
However, it can happen once a table is mounted to a base. A fact with all wood is that it moves. It expands and contracts in different environments. If your slab is mounted in a way that doesn't allow for the wood to expand and contract like it wants to, there's a high probability that it will crack.
How to Finish a Live Edge Slab : 3 Steps (with Pictures) - Instructables
How to Finish a Live Edge Slab : How To Finish A Live Edge Slab Live edge slab furniture is all the rave right now, even though it has been around for a long long time. Finishing it can be a bit trick. I wanted to share some of my tips on how I get it done. I use three simple steps…
How to Finish a Live Edge Wood Slab for Rustic Furniture
Home & Lifestyle How to Finish a Live Edge Wood Slab for Rustic Furniture. Written by MasterClass. Last updated: Jun 7, 2021 • 4 min read
What to look for when buying a live edge slab?
There's more to purchasing a live edge slab than simply looking for a beautiful piece of wood; you need to be sure that the live edge wood slab you buy is ideal for your intended use. Make sure the slab has the right dimensions. When looking for a piece of live edge, the most important qualities to focus on are size, thickness, and flatness.
What is live edge wood?
Live edge wood is a type of wood characterized by its unfinished, natural edges. Live edge wood slabs maintain a piece of wood's raw, rustic characteristics, often containing visible knots, grain, and burrs or burls. Since the edges remain unchanged from the tree the wood is cut from, no two pieces of live edge furniture are exactly alike.
What is live edge furniture?
Since the edges remain unchanged from the tree the wood is cut from, no two pieces of live edge furniture are exactly alike. The natural beauty of live edge pieces makes this type of wood a popular design element in rustic and mid-century decor. Woodworkers and interior designers often use live edge wood for coffee table tops, dining table tops, ...
What to do if epoxy doesn't match?
If the epoxy doesn't match, you'll need to tint the epoxy with an additive to achieve the proper color. As your epoxy is mixed, slowly pour it into any holes in the slab. A slow pour lets the epoxy gradually seep into the void, preventing air bubbles.
How to secure a butterfly key to a slab?
Use a router and chisel to create a pocket in the slab that fits the butterfly key, then secure the key in place with a clear epoxy. Once the epoxy dries, sand the butterfly key until smooth. Fill any holes in the slab.
Hanging Your Live Edge Shelves & Mantels
First, how do you want to hang your shelf or mantel? Do you want a floating shelf or mantel? Do you want natural wood brackets, metal brackets, or another style? The type of brackets you prefer affects cost and ease of installation as well as appearance.
Size of your Shelf or Mantel
You also need to ask yourself how wide and long the shelf or mantel should be. Natural edges rarely have uniform shape – that’s what makes them so appealing. Because of this, measuring your space is very important. Try to find the maximum and minimum width your space needs.
Type of Finish
The finish is also important to consider. We recommend Danish Oil finish for most DIY homeowners. It’s easy to apply and even easier to maintain. We prep our raw material to a much higher standard than most other places that sell raw wood.
How long does it take for wax to set on wood?
With the wax applied, I'll either let it set for about 30 minutes or simply grab the buffer and work it into the wood. After about 30 minutes I buff anything left from the surface and let it cure. If I want a second coat I'll let the first application cure overnight or at least eight hours. Finally I give the wax about 3 days to cure and buff one last time before putting the piece to use.
What grit is Mirka wet dry sandpaper?
The nice thing about Mirka Wet/Dry sandpaper is it's available up to 2500-grit so it doesn't matter if you're sanding bare wood or sanding and buffing out lacquer. There are plenty of fine-grit options. Shaping and sanding the live edge is where most people get nervous.
How much grit to sand polyurethane?
How much to sand depends on the type of finish you plan to use on your projects. Many manufacturers of film finishes, like polyurethane, discourage sanding beyond 220-grit for reasons of adhesion.
What wood to use for edge mantels?
Some like pine, ERC and hackberry dry out quick and others like oak and osage orange take a while. We have customers who bring in their own logs and we saw them out and they put them in green. If the pith is centered and a relief cut made they may move a little over time but that just adds to the thing. Sometimes they remove them after a few years and have us re-flatten them but move love the look. Walnut and cherry are two good woods to use but cedar has lots of good looks. I would remove the bark. It is just asking for bugs and trouble and most will lose them any way.
What kind of logs make good mantels?
I take it you mean they want something close to a quartered log. You will still have movement and shrinkage to deal with and cracks are nearly inevitable. You can still control the cracks somewhat by the method I mentioned earlier. Put the kerf in the back toward the wall and it will never shoe. I don't know where you are at, but eastern red cedar, mountain juniper, or mesquite all make good mantels as they are all stable and moderately dry to start with.
How to split logs?
If you have the depth between the pith and the face edge, then cut the pith off; logs split the fastest from the pith outward. Having a bevel or angle to the live face sounds nice. If the pith has to be there, cut a slot on the back side as suggested above to help unload the stress. You cannot guarantee that it won't split some or all the way across, and it may take years to completely cure out. During that time it will shrink a bit, so make sure you leave room for creep during installation; I would attach it more towards the center, and leave the ends loose to move. Tell the owner that it will move some, and to cross their fingers that it doesn't warp.
How deep is a heart mantel?
Centering the heart with a live edge is about near impossible but try to get close and use a saw kerf to control the inevitable. The mantel will be 5-6' long, 14" deep, and 7" thick (if possible). The front edge they would like beveled to give a slightly rounded edge.
Is a bevel a round over?
I would avoid including the pith in the piece. A bevel is not a round over, and an edge that has been machined is not a live edge. Something doesn't add up here.
How to remove bark from live edge slab?
Removing the bark on a live edge slab is a pretty simple process. We typically use a small chisel and hammer and angle the chisel with the way the live edge tapers. After all of the big pieces are removed, you can sand the rest until your edge has a smooth surface.
What does a live edge sanding tool do?
It allows you to sand the live edge making it less sharp and giving it a smooth feel to the touch.
What is the best way to keep wood bark in place?
The last thing you need to consider is finish. Pour over epoxy resin is your best bet to hold the bark in place if you plan on keeping it. Polyurethane would be another option, but won’t be quite as strong. Oils and waxes seal the wood, but they aren’t going to serve as an adhesive like epoxy would to keep the bark in place.
Who is Nolan from Lancaster Live Edge?
Nolan is the Marketing Manager for Lancaster Live Edge. When he isn’t working on our marketing initiatives, he’s in the shop building tables and furniture with the team. Prior to working with Lancaster Live Edge, he worked for a digital marketing agency for nearly 4 years. His family owns a custom building company and he’s helped build everything from custom furniture to home additions. Nolan has been woodworking for nearly 20 years.
Why do we debark wood?
Those reasons are: It’s highly likely to fall off with time, regardless of the measures taken to preserve it.
How to sand live edge slab?
Sand the sharp edges on the ends of the slab, if needed. Live edge slabs usually have bark on 2 sides; the other 2 sides are sometimes jagged from where they were cut. If this is the case with your slab, sand the roughness away with 120-grit sandpaper. Work your way to 150-, 180-, 220-, and 320-grit.
How to sand bark on a wood edge?
Get the attachment that looks like a bunch of pieces of sandpaper bound together to form a wheel. Start with a 120-grit wheel, then work your way up to 180- and 220-grit. You are only sanding the edge that had the bark on it for now.
What is the best surface for a rustic side table?
Decide how much you want to flatten and smooth the surface. A slab with an uneven face (top surface) would work great for a rustic side table. A slab that is going to be used as a writing desk will need a smoother finish and perfectly-flat face.
How long does it take for wood to acclimate to humidity?
Wait 1 to 2 weeks for store-bought slabs to acclimate. If you choose to buy a slab from the store, you need to wait 1 to 2 weeks before you use this. This will give the wood enough time to adjust to the humidity of your home.
Can you sand wood edges?
How much you sand the edge is up to you. Lots of woods often have worm holes under the bark. You can sand these off or leave them on for a cool effect.
Do you finish live edge slabs?
There is a certain beauty to live edge slabs that straight, finished edges simply don't have. Even though live edge slabs lend your woodworking project a natural, rustic look, you still need to finish them. Curing, sanding, and sealing the wood will ensure that your project lasts for years to come.
