Calling artists/carpenters/wood experts - advice required

[tyred]

My friend had become obsessed with making a decoration for her sitting room in the form of a tree, trying to copy something she saw in a spiritual/holistic shop somewhere.

I have been able to provide something suitable from the farm at home - a large brach ~ 10' long and probably ~7" diameter at it's thickest point although it will need to be trimmed to fit in the house. It is a branch that broke of a healthy ash tree during a storm in June of this year.

It has been outside since then. What I'm looking for advice on is how long would it need to sit outside to season before bringing it inside to minimise the risk of it cracking/splitting when brought indoors and whether or not it would need to be treated with something to preserve it and if so what would be best? She does like to keep her house warmer than I would

 

[Chromatic]

I believe Ash has low moisture content when green. I don't think you need leave it to season for very long at all. Having said that, when it is brought indoors it will probably dry out more no matter how long you leave it to season outside and may crack or split.

 

[Ganymede]

My friend had become obsessed with making a decoration for her sitting room in the form of a tree, trying to copy something she saw in a spiritual/holistic shop somewhere.

I have been able to provide something suitable from the farm at home - a large brach ~ 10' long and probably ~7" diameter at it's thickest point although it will need to be trimmed to fit in the house. It is a branch that broke of a healthy ash tree during a storm in June of this year.

It has been outside since then. What I'm looking for advice on is how long would it need to sit outside to season before bringing it inside to minimise the risk of it cracking/splitting when brought indoors and whether or not it would need to be treated with something to preserve it and if so what would be best? She does like to keep her house warmer than I would

June is a bad time to cut a tree (I know in this case not on purpose!) as it is full of sap, so it would take longer to dry than one cut in winter. It also depends a bit on how wet the weather has been- it may need a bit longer even if you've had a dry summer.

I've seen this done in France - there's a caff in Val d'Isere which has real trees throughout, with plastic but convincing leaves and lots of fluffy squirrels in the branches. It's a gimmick but looks brililant.

 

[Ganymede]

I believe Ash has low moisture content when green. I don't think you need leave it to season for very long at all. Having said that, when it is brought indoors it will probably dry out more no matter how long you leave it to season outside and may crack or split.

Yes this is true, Ash does not have the highest water content as it is fairly dense. If your friend's central heating is very high it could be an issue though.

 

[tyred]

It's been a fairly dry summer although there were a few periods of heavy rain.

 

[Ganymede]

It's been a fairly dry summer although there were a few periods of heavy rain.

I've also thought: how long does she want this to last? If she's looking for a permanent addition it needs to be more of a "cert" than if it will temporary.

She might try googling "how to make rustic furniture" - a lot of this is made of roundwood with the bark still on and there are a lot of tips out there from the American crafty scene, and lots of images too.

 

[Ludwig]

Ash does have quite a high water content as it is quite a fast growing tree. They normally say 1 year for every inch to dry if it is timber cut in board form. It may be alright or may split. Woood it essentially moving all the time and in oak beams where the wood is vey thick you will see a lot of cracks but it is all part of the character of wood. You may wish to go to a firewood merchant who might have timber in the round. I have piles of all sorts of wood and some has slit and some hasn't and ash can be quite bad for opening up. It can get a bit wormy and has bark beetle but is a beautiful wood that has been used for all sorts of things over the centuries.

 

[Ludwig]

Ash does have quite a high water content as it is quite a fast growing tree. They normally say 1 year for every inch to dry if it is timber cut in board form. It may be alright or may split. Woood it essentially moving all the time and in oak beams where the wood is vey thick you will see a lot of cracks but it is all part of the character of wood. You may wish to go to a firewood merchant who might have timber in the round. I have piles of all sorts of wood and some has slit and some hasn't and ash can be quite bad for opening up. It can get a bit wormy and has bark beetle but is a beautiful wood that has been used for all sorts of things over the centuries.

 

[Chromatic]

Ash does have quite a high water content as it is quite a fast growing tree. They normally say 1 year for every inch to dry if it is timber cut in board form. It may be alright or may split. Woood it essentially moving all the time and in oak beams where the wood is vey thick you will see a lot of cracks but it is all part of the character of wood. You may wish to go to a firewood merchant who might have timber in the round. I have piles of all sorts of wood and some has slit and some hasn't and ash can be quite bad for opening up. It can get a bit wormy and has bark beetle but is a beautiful wood that has been used for all sorts of things over the centuries.

This is incorrect, green Ash has a low moisture content compared to other green woods.
(by green I mean unseasoned)

 

[raleighnut]

Chainsaw the end off square then seal with wax (candle/paraffin wax is fine) this will help stop splitting. As its a branch it could do anything due to the fibres being under tension on one side and compression on the other but personally I find splits and knots appealing in wood (as in driftwood) Finishing depends on wether its left bark on or stripped (best time to de-bark is when its cut as the Cambium layer is still fresh/living) but its likely that the bark will not stay intact.

 

[Ganymede]

As its a branch it could do anything due to the fibres being under tension on one side and compression on the other

Yes - this could give it a slight banana-like bend over time, not in itself aesthetically unpleasing!

 

[raleighnut]

Yes - this could give it a slight banana-like bend over time, not in itself aesthetically unpleasing!

That's why branches are not used in cabinetry and are normally sold by a timber-yard as firewood or 'chipped' and then used in board or as bio-mass fuel, something which coppiced Ash is very good for (and a fuel of the future)

 

[tyred]

I think she wants it long term.

 

[MontyVeda]

I think she wants it long term.

in that case, her that over time it'll become even more beautiful when it starts to split.