Untitled Page
U.S.A.
Not a live tree falls
for our burnishments.
Email
mikejust3022@gmail.com
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Email mikejust3022@gmail.com
Rustic Furniture from the log - Glass Top Tables - Tree Table Sculpture P.O. Box 143, Wilson, Kansas, 67490, US
Copyright 1996 - 2019 - Mike Just - Rustic, natural, organic. Elegant root Furniture - Glass Top stump Tables - Art Furniture - Sculpture All images, rustic furniture design elements and other content represented on this web site are protected under United States and International copyright laws and are the sole property of Michael W. Just, unless otherwise noted. All use and/or publication rights are reserved, worldwide. All represented images and content are not in the Public Domain. No images, or furnishing designs represented on this web site may be copied, stored, manipulated, published, sold or reproduced in whole or in part without the express permission of an authorized representative of Rustic Oak, Mike W. Just, TreeTables.com. Simply Ask.
Slabs & Slices for table tops
a discussion on time: proper seasoning, deinfestation and the fun part, creating.
Slabs are large pieces of wood cut from a huge tree containing no man made seams. The slab shown below happens to be very rare as it was cut from a huge rootball and is solid burl. However, still a slab. Slices are sliced off of the end of a log, are circularish in shape and have annual growth rings showing on their surface.
All of which requires proper drying, or seasoning in order to be utilized as furniture in your home.
Why is seasoning needed? Because wood, logs, when cut or when they fall from natural causes, within the forest are WET. A log lying for years on the ground does not dry out significantly as the interior portions of the log are not exposed to the air. This all logs need to be dried or seasoned.
As a piece of wood dries, it shrinks in size. The larger the piece, the more inches it shrinks. A table such as the one shown, left ( about 5 feet across ) might shrink an inch and a half. A SIGNIFICANT amount.. Thus you do not want a green slab table top in your home as the finish would krinkle and likely the table top buckle and could break.
If you are a fabrication shoppe..
In obtaining a slab or slice for your table top is is important that you use knowledgable suppliers or fabrication shops with experience. Suppliers need to be able to judge honestly, the internal moisture content of the pieces and relate that information to you in terms you can understand.. Wood shrinks differently depending upon the type of cut that is made and being utilized and affects ea. Piece differently
Insects live in woods, lay their eggs there and generally habitate there. Eggs of some insects have 12 month gestation rates. They wont hatch for a year. Thus, the larvae ( eggs ) need be treated prior to utilization of the wood within a home. It is conceivable then that a supplier may eradicate the insects utilizing chemical sprays and do an effective job on live insects but not eradicate the eggs.
TIME : How does all this affect the timing of your project. Typically air dried wood takes about a year for every inch of thickness. Thus a 2 1/2 inch slab can be 2 1/2 to 3 years. Wow ! Yes, it takes time.. Likely, you are not wanting to wait that long.. However, kilns can increase this speed and produce a dry slab in months. In addition long term exposure to high temp of 130 Degrees F eradicates the larave (eggs )..
Thus, if you wish to select the piece ( slab or slice ) for your project and then have it kiln dried.. It can be done in a relatively reasonable amount of time.. But still - allow yourself 3 to 4 months.. Too much speed here can ruin your project.. Easy does it is the motto, when drying wood..
