Guaranteed To Crack

You’re going to be in one of two camps here. Either that statement is blatantly obvious to you, or you’ve had very limited experience with timber. “Will it crack” is probably the most common question I get asked and it’s a really simple answer. Yes, although I do what I can to limit it.

So why does wood crack in the first place? Trees grow a bit like onions in that they are layered. Each year the tree adds another layer known as a growth ring. When the tree is cut down the wood will start to dry. The rings that are closest to light and air will dry faster than the rings nearer the centre. As the wood dries it shrinks but because the rings are contracting at different rates, there’s nowhere for the shrinking rings to move to, so they’re forced to crack. These cracks will generally follow the path of least resistance so that usually means right up the face of the carving or at lease somewhere obvious.

This problem actually also provides a solution. Instead of making a carving from a complete log ie full rings, I take a much bigger log and cut it in half or quartets. That way I’m working partial rings, so the forces within the log are greatly reduced. The speed at which the wood dries will also affect how badly a carving will crack. If you buy one of my carvings and sit it in front of a radiator, then you’re going to force it dry quickly and that definitely won’t help. The source of heat doesn’t even need to be that fierce and a day of sitting in the sunshine is just as bad for a piece of wood as it is for human skin. Even sitting in drafty spot will have the same drying effect. This often poses a problem with things like benches as who wants to sit in the shade! It’s a choice only the customer can make.

I tend to finish my carvings using decking oil. These products are designed to go on fresh and outdoor timber, and it will allow the wood to dry naturally but prevent absorption or decay like varnish or paint might. There are other things that can cause wood to crack too. The type of tree can have a big effect. Some timbers are naturally prone to cracking so it’s important that anyone working with wood, has an understanding about the material they are using. Where the tree has grown and how the tree was cut down can also cause cracking. There is something called ring shake which has had little scientific research, but we know that some growing conditions can cause this phenomenon where cracks follow the rings rather than radiating to the centre. Ring shake and linear cracks can also occur during the felling process if the tree has a significant impact as it lands. Big solid trees can have a lot of tension forces built up within naturally, which is to be expected when you’ve stood in the elements for 100 plus years. These big trees need to be harvested with consideration in order to release the forces without devaluing the timber.

So, there we have it, a few things that I can do, a few things that you can do, and after that it’s in the hands of the wood goods.

But remember, if it don’t crack, you can bring it back and I’ll crack it for you!