CRACKS IN THE WOOD OR LIVE EDGE TABLE
We receive numerous questions from customers (mostly even from customers who bought from other manufacturers) about cracks in live edge tables or wood in general. Therefore, we have decided to create this article with the most frequently asked questions on this topic.
Why is my live edge table cracking?
It is the large, single-piece components that exhibit tremendous tensile and shrinkage behavior. These large, unglued wooden parts react significantly more to fluctuating humidity levels that prevail throughout the summer/winter period.
Are cracks in wood a defect?
The crack in the wood is a natural stress relief characteristic and therefore not a defect!
How does wood crack?
Wooden boards can crack open from the center at the heart. Wood can also crack around a knot hole. Sideboards with flat growth rings (flat cut) can get small, short cracks across the entire surface. Due to excessively fast technical drying, where the surface dries too quickly, internal cracks can occur, the wood collapses. (Cell collapse) Short, wide cracks occur inside the board, which are only discovered during cutting.
How long does wood crack?
Wood is hygroscopic, which means it is able to absorb and release moisture from the environment at any time. It is possible for wood to crack at any time.
What happens when wood absorbs moisture?
Wood is hygroscopic, which means it is able to absorb and release moisture from the environment at any time. The wood will swell when it absorbs moisture. Thus, it becomes wider. You notice in the humid summer months, the door closes worse. The wood has swollen.
How do we avoid cracks in the wood?
Very good and professional wood drying is the decisive point. For air drying, 1 year of drying applies for every 1 cm of wood thickness. We air dry for 2 years, always under a roof to protect against cracks. For final drying, we put the wood in a modern vacuum dryer with the support of the vacuum, we gently reach the 8 - 10% wood moisture. Thus, later cracking, whether due to tension or dry humidity, is largely prevented.
How can you prevent wood from cracking?
The wood can crack due to too fast drying in the sun, wind or in a dry room climate. A professional, gentle, slow pre-drying prevents the cracking of wood.
How long does wood have to dry for furniture?
The ideal wood moisture for furniture making is 8 - 10%. This can only be achieved by technical wood drying in the fresh air exhaust process or in the vacuum process. Our ambient humidity dries the wood to a minimum of 14 - 16% MC in our latitudes.
What to do with cracks in the tabletop?
A live edge table in large parts should first be acclimatized, wait for a winter heating period and at this time you can fill the cracked area well with epoxy resin or polyester fine filler.
How do I repair wood cracks?
We fill the wood cracks with epoxy resin and sand them down. It also works with polyester fine filler, in any case a 2-component filler, because of the curing. The product used should be easy to sand and ideally somewhat elastic so that it can go along with the natural movement of the large wooden parts.
How can you fill cracks in wood?
Cracks in wood are best filled with a two-component filler such as epoxy resin or polyester fine filler.
What is wood paste?
Wood paste can be made from bone meal and wood glue well mixed, so that a paste is created that closes wood cracks well.
How can you repair swollen wood?
Wood is hygroscopic, which means it is able to absorb and release moisture from the environment at any time. Accordingly, the wood releases the moisture again. As soon as the humidity drops again. Drying the wood in a suitable drying room with a controlled climate makes sense.
How do you get water stains out of wood?
A s a rule, the water stain is only on the surface a few mm deep. This can be easily sanded off and the surface re-treated with high-quality wood oil, for example.
What draws moisture out of wood?
There are several ways to draw moisture out of wood. Toothpaste and vinegar can help against light stains in the wood. Also, oily products such as butter and mayonnaise can remove moisture from the wood. Apply these to the damp areas and leave overnight. These then penetrate into the wood and break up the penetrated moisture, the next morning you can wipe off the residues with a dry cloth. By the way, a dry environment also removes moisture from the wood, but it takes a little longer!
How do I care for my live edge table?
Depending on your preference, you can sand the live edge table with a fine-grained sanding sponge 200 grit in the direction of growth, then polish it nicely with high-quality wood oil. The surface will immediately be like new again.
What care products do I use for my live edge table?
We use high-quality Legno oil from ADLER. Do not use cheap DIY store oil, as water marks can easily occur here.
