Wood
Types
In selecting the wood you want for
your chainsaw sculpture, you might want to consider the unique look
of each wood type’s grain and color so that it suits your taste
and your piece. Our detailed chainsaw sculptures are durable both
indoors and outdoors. See the "Finishes/Care" page
for more information.
The hard, heavy, coarse-grained wood
of RED OAK, native to North America, has a reddish
hue when carved. It darkens or ambers over time. Red oak is more
weather resistant and durable than most other woods.
WHITE OAK is even
harder and more durable than the red variety. Its wood is lighter
in color than red oak and will amber with time. It is also coarse-grained
and heavy.
CHERRY has cream-colored
sapwood and distinctly deep reddish heartwood that substantially
darkens after milling. It comes from trees native to North America
and Europe. Cherry is a fine-grained wood, allowing for fine detail
in the sculptures, and is extremely resistant to decay, comparable
in this regard to red oak.
HICKORY, with its
distinctive and colorful grain, intermingles colors ranging from
white to dark brown. Hickory is a very strong hardwood.
Found on several continents, WILLOW trees
grow to giant proportions, both in height and diameter, and provide
a soft, light tan to light brown wood. The very hard willow wood
has a crisp look, finishes very nicely, and in sculptures that include
rock formations, can be made to look so authentic that most people
find it hard to believe the ”rocks” are really wood!
AMERICAN BASSWOOD is
a favorite carving wood, with a fine, even grain that gives a crisp
look. Color is moderately light, ranging from creamy white to light
brown. Basswood is easily finished and holds paint readily.
BLACK WALNUT has
a characteristic dark brown color, sometimes with a purplish hue
in the heartwood, while the sapwood is a lighter color. Walnut is
very heavy, easily sculpted and finished, and extremely decay-resistant.
CHINESE ELM is
soft and has a distinctive fine grain. Its bark is smooth, with an
uneven brown color and a flaked surface that reveals the inner bark’s
orange to reddish brown hues. It is a favorite choice for our chainsaw
sculptures.
A Special Note:
Pine is the least suitable wood for carving. Because it splinters
so readily, carving fine detail in pieces made of pine is difficult.
Pine is hard to finish, splits excessively as it seasons, and attracts
insects when displayed outdoors with the bark left on the piece.
We avoid using pine whenever possible.
We suggest that
you consider the full range of factors in selecting the wood you
want for your sculpture. We hope you will also contact Chuck for
his advice on your specific piece. Keep in mind that your sculpture
will have a weather resistant finish, will be fully guaranteed, and
will be expected to last for many years.
For more information click “Finishes/Care” in
our chainsaw button bar. |
