The bark is well and truly adhered to the wood, in fact it is hard to get off. Once the bark is gone, take a rotary tool with a sanding flap wheel and sand the edges down smooth. The term live edge does not necessarily mean that the slab still has bark on the edges. Share it with us! To finish off the slab, repeat this process until you have 3 coats of shellac, then give it a spray of lacquer. Some hardware stores rent them out. If you have a live edge slab that you want to finish, first, peel off any bark in 6 to 8-inch sections using a rounded chisel. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Then sand the sap wood (live edge) with a smaller headed sander to bring out the color and remove any bark or dirt. And that’s a wrap on my live edge river table! I was wondering if you could elaborate more on what you did with the live edge portion. See more ideas about live edge bar, bars for home, basement bar. https://www.woodmagazine.com/how-to-work-with-natural-edge-slabs, http://www.woodworkersjournal.com/the-challenge-of-finishing-a-wood-slab/, https://www.thewoodwhisperer.com/videos/live-edge-slab-coffee-table/, faire la finition d'une planche de bois aux bords naturels, Please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Posted by 7 hours ago. I built two stand-up desks of ash earlier this year and am going to finish the live edge slab with the same finish - 1/3 BLO-1/3 Polyeurethane-1/3 mineral spirits, which I used as a wipe-on finish. I use, Sand the hardened finish with 80 grit. Colleen Pastoor at Lemon Thistle treated her live edge mantel with six coats of Varathane Diamond Wood Finish to bring out the wood's natural colors and to give the surface a more finished look. One important tip I try to follow when sanding the live edge is to make sure I don't round the lines where the live edge meets to surface of the slab. so that is what she got and was delighted with it. Please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. I would like to keep the bark on a live edge but make sure my kids don't break chunks off by picking at it and exposing the unfinished bark. Black walnut in my case. Cleaning up the wood cracks and live edges. If you don’t want the live edges exposed on the outside, try orienting two live edges towards each other. Live Edge Timber Co. offers a unique way to customize Live Edge Timber slabs and make furniture building something anyone can do! Live edge slabs are super popular right now. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published, This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. Anything to suggest? Once the surface is prepped to 120 grit with the aggressive sander, Move onto a random orbit finishing sander. Actually, the truth is, my friend didn't want them and threw them into a bonfire, and before the flames could devour them I pulled them out and loaded them onto my trailer. One of the most exciting things about moving to Denver is that I now have access to more live edge slab material. Mount Floating Shelves. Then sand the sap wood (live edge) with a smaller headed sander to bring out the color and remove any bark or dirt. Save. Posts: 158; Re: Best way to finish a live edge table « Reply #6 on: April 07, 2014, 10:35 PM » I have done the epoxy and not a huge fan and I find on live edges it tends to not level out and have almost run lines down the edges. For more tips, like how to fill in any voids on the surface of your wood, read on. What to look for•Logs felled during spring and summer give up their bark easier once dry, and have more unusual coloring due to higher moisture content.•Search out logs with multiple knots, burls, limbs, and other unique characteristics.•To create even more character in your wood, allow the logs to lie on the ground or in a stack for a year or two uncovered. Thin it roughly 50% and let the bark soak it up, then come back with a few layers of full thickness. I also want to use the sanding live edge process to double check the bark and make sure it’s going to stay stuck. It is better to apply many thin coats of a finish rather than 1 thick coat. Isn't it gorgeous? The bark is removed from the wood to create a natural design with smoother edges while keeping the natural curves that are the main appeal of the live edge countertops. I find this is best done by sanding the live edge before doing my final sanding to the top. What is a live edge countertop? If you want to apply a finish to both sides of the wood, do the top and edges first, let everything cure, then do the bottom. 5. % of people told us that this article helped them. A live edge bowl, also sometimes called a natural edge bowl, is a bowl that uses the natural contour of the bark side of a log as the top rim edge of the bowl. Next, remove the live edge bark with the hand rasp as well. Mount Floating Shelves. 1 year ago If you leave it intact clean it with compressed air to remove the dust buildup. There are lots of methods for removing bark and smoothing the edge, including using a wire brush, abrasive pads and balls, and the good old disk sander. Lots of woods often have worm holes under the bark. For me, I want to take any sharp edges off of the bark so it isn’t an uncomfortable piece of furniture to have around, but I don’t want to dramatically change its shape or contours. I recently took an interest in wood working and decided that as my first project I would make a live edge coffee table. "Better than IKEA instructions. On all but one of my live edge pieces I removed nearly all of the bark, but recently I've seen a few fairly interesting youtube videos where the makers left if all on and slathered (in most cases....) the rough back with poly. Cyanoacrylate glue or CA can be used to glue the bark edge firmly to the live edge bowl. Viewed 37k times 15. wicker outdoor bar cart. Choose wood that was felled during the summer. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. It should be noted that LE collects dust making it look horrible. One side is flat and the other is nothing but live edge bark. Make sure that you are moving your rotary tool with these flaps facing forward. The piece I'm using is a thick slab of spalted maple that I found at a local store. Butterfly keys are blocks of wood shaped like bowties. October 24, 2015 at 7:33 am #413581. smallerstick. This creates a “fissure” look, and provides an open area through which light, cords or other objects can pass. Before sanding, use a chisel to peel off the bark section by section, making sure to work along the edges of your slab so you don't gouge the surface. Mark the whole surface with a pencil and slowly remove the pencil with … If the walking stick was cut in the fall, you may find that the bark will hang around for some time regardless how you finish it. This was a nice, straightforward description about how to prepare the surfaces. My first was building my work bench, and now I'm making a coffee table with some live edge maple. I have been using this awesome product. This has a smoother texture than bark, but still has a very natural look. Ask Question Asked 5 years, 8 months ago. Wood slabs without live-edge are like any wide piece of wood and require virtually the same technique to finish. You can also use regular lumber that is at least 1 ½" thick. The flaps typically only have sandpaper on 1 side. Viewed 37k times 15. Start out by taping off the top of your slab. The wood comes ready to assemble but also comes with bark! wikiHow's. On the other hand, if the slab has natural edges, checks (also known simply as “cracks”), bark inclusions (areas where the surface of the slab is bark tissue rather than wood) and even voids, then there are added details to deal with. Active 3 years, 9 months ago. Check prices on hotels close to Caddy Shack Mini Golf ... Waltz Vineyards has a selection of quality local wines, so if you are a lover of wine, this is the ideal place for you. 7. Finish on live edge with bark. I treat live edge three ways; remove the bark, remove the bark and stain the edge, and leave the bark. I recently took an interest in wood working and decided that as my first project I would make a live edge coffee table. Looks good with the wood and raw edge :). Just a bunch of abrasion, followed by a dark stain. I instantly knew that it was destined to become live edge floating shelves! With the right care, furniture made from trees with the bark left intact can last for 100 years or more, especially items made from birch bark. It depends on what look you are going for, and also which side of the slab you decide looks better. Continue this process over the whole top and apply to the edges with a rag. I prefer to back fill the voids in order to save time flattening as well as save cost on the amount of epoxy needed to fill the void. How to Build a 30 Kilovolt Wimshurst Machine! Purchase the slab from a store if you want to minimize your work. There are a couple of things that you can do to improve your chances of keeping the bark on your wood: Cut the stock in the winter when the sap is not flowing. As others have stated if the piece will see contact the bark will eventually suffer. How much you sand the edge is up to you. Mrs L wanted the "live edge" look (what I would call a waney edge!) You might find this video helpful. Parado-Asi (Pardox. 7. Sand the whole surface with 80 grit, continuing to 120 on the aggressive setting. Posts: 217; Re: Best way to finish a live edge table « Reply #4 on: April 07, 2014, 04:46 PM » I've done a couple live edge tables lately and been very happy with conversion varnish. Once you’re happy with the shape, sand your board. Mix up a 2 part Slow Setting epoxy. 6. I like the dark epoxy. Spruce up your dull, ordinary fireplace by adding a live edge wood mantel. Scrape the fibers off with a nylon or wire brush. This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. I consider material that shadows the outside edge of the tree, but without the bark, to be live edge as well. Then sand the sap wood (live edge) with a smaller headed sander to bring out the color and remove any bark or dirt. Step 4 Make a Faux Live Edge Photo by Webb Chappell. … Use a sanding block or sandpaper to sand the eyes. Last Updated: December 22, 2020 Unlike sanding a flat surface, I … When a tree is milled, the beauty of the heart and sapwood is exposed. Re: Finish for live edge slabs with bark Keeping the bark on a slab is very difficult even after using CA glue as a binder. You are doing this after you sand the faces because some pieces of trapped bark may not get revealed until after you sand them. I built two stand-up desks of ash earlier this year and am going to finish the live edge slab with the same finish - 1/3 BLO-1/3 Polyeurethane-1/3 mineral spirits, which I used as a wipe-on finish. If it gets knocked off in the future, I can always just finish the live edge beneath the bark, but thought it was worth a shot. As others have stated if the piece will see contact the bark will eventually suffer. When I apply wipe-on-poly, it raises the grain in certain areas. The last thing I did to the live-edge side of the slabs was use my palm sander to further smooth things out. The bark should come loose in long strips. Start on one side, then rub out the finish with a dry cloth. how to finish live edge bark eBay. Finally, use a spray finish such as polyurethane over the … I took it all outdoors in indirect sunlight to photograph it and still didn't get a great quality picture. Close. 5. It was my first time using this finish, but I really love how it turned out. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 145,204 times. Any ideas? From river tables to leaving the slab whole, it shows off wood’s natural beauty. Yes, the top. Pro. Shop Local. You can proudly tell your family and friends that you made it yourself. And while I have you here, preferred finishes for bar top? Save. 6. A live edge of a piece of wood is the bark side of the wood. Once you’re happy with the shape, take your serving board’s handle to the drill press and use a forstner bit to drill a handle. However if I were to do it, I would use a thinned shellac. For me, I want to take any sharp edges off of the bark so it isn’t an uncomfortable piece of furniture to have around, but I don’t want to dramatically change its shape or contours. Live Edge Lap Desk Each slab is unique. But working with live edge slabs can be somewhat of a pain. If there is a split in the underside of the slab, you should install butterfly keys too. It can be removed if you like with a chisel. Use a tinted, Once the epoxy is flattened continue with your aggressive sander. A belt sander works as well. Apply the finish of your choice. Sometimes these edges will have bark as well. 2 years ago. This will show any bubbles on the surface. After the coat is dry, sand it with 500-grit sandpaper and repeat 2 more times. 2 years ago First off… why not just leave it?! It was just a design aspect that seemed pretty unique and kinda cool. I made a 5' tall, live edge clock and finished it that way and have been very happy with it. Online stores are a great place to purchase unique slabs made from rare varieties of wood as well. One week ago i saw a table which was 100cm wide and bend 3cm from the centre.Could you give me some tips? I am self taught and sharing my experiences with the world! This article has been viewed 145,204 times. This goes for any sawn surface. Finishing schedule for live edge walnut slab. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. My top idea was spray varnish/polyurethane to harden/preserve it. Once transport was completed (with the help from my guys at the Westminster team), she was good to go! Take these into consideration when picking your slab. You don't have to buy all of the tools required for this project. There are 14 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. The slabs are 6' long and 2 inches thick. My most recent table was originally going to be a square edge table. I used a 1 5/8″ bit. Sand the whole surface with 80 grit, continuing to 120 on the aggressive setting. Once the surface is prepared to 120 grit, you can apply your Monocoat Finish. If you want to check out some more of my furniture project check some of these below! Work your way along the edge of the slab. If you choose to keep the bark on your live edge and the type of wood is ideal for it, we’ll use epoxy to seal and protect the outer layer. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. Asi) Wearable Steampunk Style Spider, How to Make a Nightstand From Wooden Hangers || DIY Side Table. I am also in the proces of making dining table - i could not find one wide enough so i used two slabs and glue them together. Use the hand rasp to roundover the handle. How to Remove Bark From Live Edge Wood. This is a thick coating when compared to other resin type finishes and can be applied with a squeegee. However if I were to do it, I would use a thinned shellac. If you have a lot of voids, it's best to work in small batches, otherwise the epoxy will cure before you finish. You don't need to finish sanding both the top and bottom faces. BE the change you want to see. Looks authentic, and cant fall off. Finish the table in halves. Remove the bark and sand the wood . In this video I show how I finish my live edge slabs. wicker outdoor bar cart. 5 Posts . I have a Black & Decker "Mouser" (onlye $30 on Amazon!) Finish on live edge with bark. One end of this board had a sawn edge where a limb was cut off. I used an Ambrosia Maple Slab. You see: he considered them to be waste because they're not flat on both sides. I have just finished sanding a maple live edge table to 240grit. I have found that the only thing that bonds the bark to the slab is an epoxy coating such as "Pour On".