Should You Remove the Bark From Live Edge Wood?
Is it necessary to remove the bark from live edge wood? What if you like the look and want to keep it? Here are some things to consider.
Should You Remove the Bark?
Most of the time…yes, it’s a good idea to remove the bark from a live edge slab. The bond between the bark and the wood isn’t strong at all. Even if it feels solid when you get the slab, it will just be a matter of time before it crumbles and breaks off on its own.
If you’re unsure about this, the best argument I can make is to just try and remove it. Once you learn how easily it comes off, it will be kind of a no brainer.
That being said, the degree to which bark is “stuck” to the sapwood differs by species, as well as when the tree was harvested. Trees that were harvested in the winter typically have a better bond, and will have a higher potential for staying on in the long term.
Photo: www.woodcraft.com
How Do You Remove Bark from Live Edge Wood?
A dull chisel will work well to get the big meaty chunks off. For the thinner layers, a variety of power tools can help make quick work of stripping away down to the clean, hard sapwood.
An angle grinder with a wire wheel attachment will strip a tremendous amount of material away very quickly, but may leave larger marks in the sapwood that will need to be sanded out later.
Instead of wire wheels, there are nylon wheels for angle grinders and even drills that won’t work quite as quickly as the wire, but will leave a much cleaner surface.
A die grinder is also useful for cleaning up tighter spots that an angle grinder can’t reach.
And finally, a good old orbital sander can get the job done of cleaning up a lot of the finer strips of bark that are attached to the sapwood.
What If I Want To Keep the Bark?
If you’re really in love with the look of bark and want to keep it on your project, there are a number of things you can try in the realm of chemical intervention, but will touch on that in a later post. Just know that it isn’t a guarantee for every slab.
And of course, if this a DIY project, you are always welcome to just leave it on and see what happens! Make sure you pick a slab where the bark feels solid enough that you can’t pry it off with your hands, and you may get a few good years out of it before you have to go back and totally debark the piece.
