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How to Prepare Wood for a Sculpture

The grain and surface characteristics of wood sculptures are extremely evocative and cannot be copied in any other sculpture. In addition, the ease of working with wood makes it a preferred medium for many sculptors. The disadvantage of wood is its tendency to warp and crack with changing humidity and moisture content. To avoid this, wood must be seasoned or dried before it is used. Most store-bought wood is kiln-dried. Kiln drying makes the wood more expensive, and the selection and cut may not be acceptable for a sculptor--especially if he has a special piece from a forest or old structure. In this case, air drying is a suitable, if lengthy, alternative.

Things You'll Need

  • Block or log of wood
  • Mineral oil or paraffin wax
  • Old towels or sheets
  • Dehumidifier
  • Sealed, conditioned space
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Instructions

  1. Placement

    • 1

      Place the wood in a dry location. If the wood is from a fallen or felled tree, remove the bark and coat the ringed ends with mineral oil or melted paraffin wax. If the wood was found outside, choose an exterior covered location for the first stage of drying. This location should have adequate air circulation.

    • 2

      Wrap the wood in old towels or sheets. Don't wrap the wood too tightly. The linens will help wick and evaporate moisture from the wood.

    • 3

      Allow the wood to season for one month.

    • 4

      Bring the wood into a covered, non-conditioned interior space, and allow the wood to season for an additional month.

    • 5

      Bring the wood into an air conditioned interior space. Place a dehumidifier in the room and activate it. Start with 50 percent relative humidity, and lower the humidity 3 percent every three days until the dehumidifier's monitor is set to 17 percent. Remember to empty the dehumidifier's tank.

    • 6

      Unwrap the wood and begin sculpting. Use an oil-based stain to finish the sculpture and protect against humidity fluctuations.

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Sculpture

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