Bark Preservation

[Bugle]

I was gifted a persimmon slab that is about 3 1/2 " thick and about 8 ' long. I plan on planing it down and making a mantle for my daughter. The bark has such character that I would like to preserve it if possible. I've never tried it before and would appreciate any suggestions. Here's what it looks like.

 

[spitzerone]

I am interested in this subject as well. I believe you can save the bark by brushing it with several coats of epoxy. I have seen that done but I have no idea how that will hold up long term. I imagine because it will be a mantle and up high were it won't be knocked around it would be fine. But I too want to hear what other's think about that.

 

[John Jimenez]

I haven’t tried but everything I have read and heard says that eventually it will separate from the slab eventually. Maybe if you encapsulated the entire thing in enough clear epoxy but then it would look plastic instead of the cool bark look. Good luck and let us know what you decide and the outcome.

 

[Wiley's Woodworks]

Use a pin nailer. You'll set it on a lower air pressure because the bark is softer. Using test scraps and get the nail heads to sink into the bark but not all the way through. If you pick your nail placements right you shouldn't even have to do any filler touch up; the nail heads will just disappear into the rough bark.

Finish the bark with a flat polyurethane, and be careful not to get the finish on the rest of the wood. Use a 1" brush and push the finish into all the crevices in the bark. The flat finish will keep the bark looking closest to natural. You'll probably want to go with a semi-gloss or satin on the rest of the mantle. Again, experiment on test pieces.

 

[Roy G]

Preston, several years ago I had a persimmon tree that I was going to cut up into boards. I cut the boards out and left the bark on. Apparently there were bugs in the tree because every piece of the wood I had saved became full of holes. Bug frass everywhere. I would suggest you do something to make sure the wood is bug-free before you spend too much time on it.

Roy G

 

[Bugle]

Use a pin nailer. You'll set it on a lower air pressure because the bark is softer. Using test scraps and get the nail heads to sink into the bark but not all the way through. If you pick your nail placements right you shouldn't even have to do any filler touch up; the nail heads will just disappear into the rough bark.

Finish the bark with a flat polyurethane, and be careful not to get the finish on the rest of the wood. Use a 1" brush and push the finish into all the crevices in the bark. The flat finish will keep the bark looking closest to natural. You'll probably want to go with a semi-gloss or satin on the rest of the mantle. Again, experiment on test pieces.

Great idea with the pin nailer. Thanks.

Some of the bark is loose in places, so I think I will try to carefully remove them, clean, and epoxy back on.

 

[kelLOGg]

Has the slab been kiln-dried? If so, then I think it has a better chance of the bark remaining on.

 

[Wiley's Woodworks]

Great idea with the pin nailer. Thanks.

Some of the bark is loose in places, so I think I will try to carefully remove them, clean, and epoxy back on.

Instead of removing and replacing bark, try to gently pry a space at the top edge and squirt a runny glue in between the wood and bark. Any Titebond should work or clear Gorilla Glue. I'm just not a big fan of epoxy except in certain situations. In this situation I would want a glue that penetrates into the wood fibers. After you fill the space between, use compressed air to blow the glue deeper in behind the bark. Wrap clamp heads in old rags to cushion the jaws and lightly clamp the bark up against the wood. You don't want to crush the bark.

 

[MarkSmithB]

Preston, several years ago I had a persimmon tree that I was going to cut up into boards. I cut the boards out and left the bark on. Apparently there were bugs in the tree because every piece of the wood I had saved became full of holes. Bug frass everywhere. I would suggest you do something to make sure the wood is bug-free before you spend too much time on it.

Roy G

I second this motion, enthusiastically. Bugs really, really like persimmon. And the bark is probably a good hiding place for them.

 

[Bugle]

Has the slab been kiln-dried? If so, then I think it has a better chance of the bark remaining

Not kiln dried. It's been in my friend's shed for 20+ years. Moisture meter reading is 13%.

 

[kelLOGg]

Not kiln dried. It's been in my friend's shed for 20+ years. Moisture meter reading is 13%.

That’s what one expects for air dried lumber. In a house with A/C it will dry further- to about 7 or 8% and may put the bark at risk but maybe the glue will hold it on.

 

[Wilsoncb]

I don’t know about you but, I’ve never been in a bug free shed. Take a section you don’t need and check for bugs…or evidence at least.

 

[Bugle]

I don’t know about you but, I’ve never been in a bug free shed. Take a section you don’t need and check for bugs…or evidence at least.

What's the best way to get rid of bugs if I find them?

 

[Wilsoncb]

Heat treatment.

 

[Bugle]

Thanks everyone for all the advice. I used Titebond and a pin nailer to secure the bark (thanks Wiley for that advice). Some of the bark was really loose, so I removed it, cleaned the back side and glued it, wrapped with a strap, and nailed it back on. On some of the places where it was just a little loose, I used a glue injector to get into the small places. There was some bark missing in a couple of spots, but I was able to salvage some from the part of the slab that I cut off. The bark seems really tight. We'll see how it holds up once it is mounted in my daughter's new (to them) house. By the way, I didn't find any bugs!

For some of the larger holes/cracks, I sanded some scrap bark and mixed that with epoxy. I finished the bark with 4 coats of Minwax Ultra Flat polyurethane (thanks again Wiley) and the rest of the mantle with 5 coats of satin finish. Here's how it came out:

 

[Wiley's Woodworks]

That looks beautiful. The extra coats of poly will go a long way towards protecting the bark from chipping and flaking off. The flat finishes make the wormy wood be the focal point, and will let the whole mantle blend right in with a rustic decor. Wherever you did the epoxy patches, they aren't visible from the photo. Well done.

 

[HITCH-]

Looks great!
I hope the bark holds up.

 

[Gboot]

Thats going to be an Awesome mantel !

 

[Shane]

I was gifted a persimmon slab that is about 3 1/2 " thick and about 8 ' long. I plan on planing it down and making a mantle for my daughter. The bark has such character that I would like to preserve it if possible. I've never tried it before and would appreciate any suggestions. Here's what it looks like.


View attachment 220967

In wood turning a live edge bowl, if I think the bark will come loose, I’ll use CA glue on the edge of the wood and bark. Once the your wood is dry do your planing and sanding.