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How to keep the bark?

1K views 5 replies 5 participants last post by  OSU55 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Working on a small art project. I want to keep the bark of the live edge intact. Is there any type of finish I should be using. I don't want it to be shiny, but as natural looking as possible. My fear is if I put nothing on it, it will pop off over time.
 
#3 · (Edited by Moderator)
I would use satin or matte poly or lacquer. I sprayed about 30 trunk cookies 12-14" dia with matte lacquer, "heavy" coats allowing it to soak in, spray again, again, etc. I dried them for several months before spraying. They looked very natural. Cant speak too well for longevity - they were table settings for a wedding and held together well for that. Relatives kept most of them - will have too if bark held. A lot came off when the wood dried, which was ok for me.

To keep the bark on, whether the wood is dry or not, soak it with thin CA glue. This will leave a shiny finish. After the wood is dry, use the satin or matte finish over it for the sheen reduction as well as protection.
 
#4 ·
I've only done it once on a live edge apple cribbage board. I did similar as OSU55. I soaked bark with thin CA glue, especially where bark meets wood. I then was able to lightly sand the bark as I did want it smoother and it held tight. Then topcoated with satin lacquer.
 
#5 ·
I've no experience in trying to retain bark so I'm presenting this as a question rather than an answer.

If one had the equipment big enough and were willing to pay the bill for it, would going through the stabilization process with something like "Cactus Juice" work for retaining the bark for the long-term?

I've seen where at least one person mentioned that using Polycryl allowed them to retain bark. And again, I've not done that and am not saying it works or works well, only that I've seen someone say it worked.
 
#6 ·
Havent used cactus juice either, but one of the requirements is for the wood to be very dry. Its recommended "dry" wood be oven baked prior to the juice to get best results. Dry wood typically loose most of the bark on the way to getting dry and baking it will hasten the loss. While I think the juice would help hold it on, I dont think much bark would survive the process.
 
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