Finishing Tips

1. FINISHING TIP 10-03;

CATEGORY:         FINISHING  TIP 10-03;  

TITLE:                    WARPING AND CHECKING

SUBMITTED BY:  PAT DEANGELIS

CARVING CLUB: SOUTH JERSEY WOODCARVERS

“ HELP PROTECT YOUR FINISHED CARVING FROM WARPING OR CHECKING ”

WOOD IS A NATURAL PRODUCT WITH GRAIN AND OPEN CELL PORES THAT ARE AFFECTED BY TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY CHANGES.

TO HELP PREVENT YOUR FINISHED CARVING FROM WARPING AND CHECKING CAUSED BY SEASONAL CHANGES IN HEAT, COLD AND HUMIDITY, APPLY A SEALER TO ALL SURFACES OF YOUR CARVING, EVEN THOSE THAT ARE OUT OF SIGHT, LIKE BOTTOMS AND THE BACK OF RELIEF CARVINGS.

FOOTNOTES:

1.   GRAIN AND OPEN CELL PORES OF WOOD ARE NOT UNIFORM IN DENSITY, DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WOOD CAN ABSORB SEALER AT A DIFFERENT RATE, SO IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO APPLY MULTIPLE COATS OF SEALER, PARTICULARLY ON OPEN END GRAINS.

2.   ALWAYS APPLY MULTIPLE THIN COATS RATHER THAN A FEW HEAVY COATS. DRYING WILL BE FASTER AND MORE UNIFORM.

SEVERAL COATS OF THIN ARE ALWAYS BETTER THAN ONE HEAVY COAT