Woodburning Tips: Ideal Wood Species

While high quality woodburning is a skill that takes time to learn, all of the practice in the world won't make a difference if you do not choose the right species of wood to work with. Not all wood species were created equally when it comes to woodburning , so it is important to be sure that you are working with a wood that is approachable. Some woods are notorious for burning at an uneven temperature, while other woods, such as treated woods, are downright dangerous to work with. Here are some tips on choosing the ideal wood species for woodburning.

Untreated Lumber

It is easy to forget as a wood worker that you are working with potentially toxic materials. This can be a potentially dangerous oversight to make, particularly if you spend a good deal of time in your shop. For instance, pressure treated woods contains preservatives that are not healthy if they are inhaled. Similarly, painted and stained woods give off poisonous fumes when burnt, and old wood may contain molds that are best left undisturbed. Instead, work only with fresh, untreated woods.

Basswood

Basswood is easily my favorite wood to work with. It has a fine grain that does not show any change in color along burnt lines. Basswood is a soft wood that results in dark, striking lines of rich black when it is worked with.

White Birch

White birch is other standard candidate when considering what wood species to work with while woodburning. Like basswood, white birch is a very light colored wood that allows for a wide range of colors when burnt. It also has a fine grain that ensures even lines in the finished product.

Fine, Plain Grain

The finer the grain in you wood, the more even and dramatic the lines in your woodburning will be. However, it is also important to note how the wood has been sawed. Depending on how the wood was cut, the grains and growth rings may or may not leave a high amount of distortion. If you are shooting for straight forward woodburning projects, then your best bet is to work with plain grain woods that have a relatively even distribution of grain patterns.

Low Sap

A high amount of sap in a piece of wood can potentially be a great source of frustration for a wood burning enthusiast. It can result in very uneven lines when burning, and the burnt sap can quickly build up on the tip of your tool. However, some craftsmen enjoy working with high sap woods such as white pine. Personally, I keep my distance.

Sources:
http://www.thewoodbox.com/data/woodburning/woodburningDos.htm
http://www.rusticwoodworking.com/woodburn.htm
Great Book of Woodburning. Irish, Lora. Fox Chapel Publishing: East Petersburg, Pennsylvania.