What is special about burl wood?
Burl is a grain characteristic that happens in many types of wood. The burl forms large, knobby looking growths on the base and trunk of the tree. Stress caused by injury, fungus, virus, or insects creates intense grain patterns. In addition, rapid growth in burls causes further stress and pressure on the wood.
Is burl wood expensive?
Is Burl Wood Expensive? Because of its qualities, pieces made from burled wood or burled wood veneer are one-of-a-kind and can be quite expensive (especially large pieces like furniture).
What can you make out of burls?
Luthiers often use burl tops for guitar bodies or headstocks, and turners love burl pieces to make smaller items like pen blanks. If you’ve got a project that needs a touch of class, burl is a great way to really make it pop!
What is the most expensive burl wood?
Amboyna Burl case
Burls Just Wanna Have Fun If you sort a wood iPhone case collection by price, you’ll notice that the most expensive KerfCase money can buy is the Amboyna Burl case. At a wallet-walloping $409 starting price, it handily beats out other interesting wood types on price, such as our spalted maple and figured walnut cases.
Are burls worth money?
Most burls, especially layered burls, are not particularly valuable. On the other hand, a larger eyed burl in good condition should bring $25 to $200 depending on size, species and condition. I have had burls up to 8 feet in diameter, and many in the 4-5 foot range. Those can be worth $500 or more.
What is the most sought after burl wood?
Bird’s-eye burl is a rare but beautiful burl pattern featuring small, tightly packed burls that show as dark “eyes” on the cut surface of the wood. Bird’s-eye burl is rarely found in Redwood, but when it is it is highly sought-after. It is often found, like lacy burl, in the crown burls and live burls of a tree.
How can you tell if wood is burl?
Burls can be identified by sight and touch.
- Walk near trees to observe their roots. Normal roots grow outward from the trunk and have a long, snakelike appearance.
- Examine the tree trunks.
- Touch the bark on the suspected burl if you can reach it.
- Look up and observe the tree branches.
Can you cut a burl without killing tree?
No you don’t. Removing burls reduces stem strength and leads to stem decay, every time. You know that without seeing the tree.
Is burl wood rare?
Burl Wood Creations This is not true. Burl wood is unique and rare. Wood experts consider it to be extremely valuable. The value of the wood is measured on the size and type of tree it is coming from.
What kind of trees do burls grow on?
WHICH TREE SPECIES GROW BURLS? The towering, iconic coastal redwood of California, Sequoia sempervirens, might be the tree most immediately associated with burls, and it is certainly the main species harvested for burl used by woodcrafters.
Where can I get Burl wood for my home?
Either way they are a great source of sustainable wood because the tree does not have to be cut down to harvest the burls. Often more burls will grow back on these trees. They commonly have a birdseye grain pattern in the heartwood. We mostly import burls from Australia but have also received burls from Central and South America.
How is burl wood different from normal wood?
When it comes to working with wood from burls, there are a few things to keep in mind. Burl differs greatly from normal wood in that burl grain grows randomly in interlocking circles. This means that burl can be turned wet but does not change shape much from shrinkage during drying.
What causes burl wood to form on trees?
The cause of burl formation is believed to be from stress from injury, fungus, virus, or insects. The wood is usually a fast growing, abnormal growth found primarily but not exclusively on the roots or trunks of trees. Due to the rapid growth and shape of the burl, the grain of the wood forms these beautiful burl patterns.
What kind of work can you do with burls?
With beautiful eyes and gorgeous figure, burls are prized by turners, high-end furnituremakers, decorative-box enthusiasts, and veneer manufacturers. So how can an average Joe Woodworker hook up with free burls?