Fire is the most dangerous enemy for a tree and can quickly destroy any product from it. It is strange to hear about using an open flame to process this material. With skillfully controlled surface firing, wood characteristics are improved.
Application
The processing of wood by fire emphasizes the natural structure, enhancing the contrast of the pattern, creating further immunity to decay, damage by ultraviolet light, and harmful insects. In addition, such a material acquires refractory properties. The surface loose layer, burning, closes the tubules and pores of the wood, creating protection for deep-lying fibers from mold, bacteria, moisture, sunlight and wind. Various impregnations and antiseptics protect against destruction. However, such remedies are expensive, contain chemical additives and can be toxic. Flaming is environmentally friendly, economical, does not require high professional skills.
The burnt wood in the interior looks aesthetically pleasing. So they perform home brushing - the artificial aging of products and furniture: chests of drawers, tables, chairs, panels, baguettes, caskets. You can burn material for installing lags of floor coverings, window frames, frames, doors, stairs, arbors, technical buildings, benches, well log cabins, fences. If it is necessary to process complex massive structures, it is advisable to burn wooden parts before collecting structures in order to successfully perform the subsequent cleaning of hard-to-reach spots. Working with prefabricated structures is risky: you can not keep track of the direction and strength of the flame, and this will lead to a fire. Inexperienced craftsmen should start with small boards or products.
Wood requirements
Deciduous trees - maple, birch, beech, cherry, alder and others - cannot be processed with fire. It is advisable to burn only conifers: cedar, larch, spruce, pine. Their soft structure allows you to get beautiful stain-free material. For decorative products, a canvas of any quality is suitable: with knots, complex bends, eyes - the more effective the result will be. Burning soft fibers form hollows, hard ones become more prominent, after cleaning this will provide a textured contrast surface. It is possible to process wooden parts, chipboard panels, sheathed with coniferous veneers. If you need burnt wood for large-scale construction work, it is better to choose a better one, without defects in structure.
Fresh material does not have to be pre-cooked before firing: the flame removes all roughness, replacing grinding. You will have to think about the appearance after processing the wood with fire. It is enough to clean the resin streaks from the lumber. In case of fire, all work will be spoiled. If the surface of the furniture or other product was previously covered with putty, paint or varnish, their remains are sanded to prevent sudden ignition and to protect from stains that cannot be cleaned. Wood impregnated with stain is fired according to general rules. Surfaces coated with varnish are not to be processed. It is better to sand the old darkened wooden cloth, having reached fresh fibers, in order to get an externally beautiful material at the finish.
The roasting tree should not be damp. This is especially true of fresh boards. 15% is the permissible upper limit of moisture content.
Processing technology
In industry, large amounts of wood are fired in special vacuum furnaces. The thickness of the combustible layers can be up to 20 mm. It is difficult to do this work at home. You can protect the material from destruction and make it beautiful with the help of household tools.
Before you start work, you need to take care of the safety of the surrounding space and objects in it. Firing should be done outdoors in calm weather. Small boards can be processed on the balcony, large items need to be taken outside. At the same time, paper, plywood, cardboard, rags, textiles, and flammable chemicals must be removed from nearby surfaces. It is advisable to work on a refractory stone surface, a metal sheet.
For firing, a flame source is suitable:
- powerful blowtorch;
- building hair dryer;
- burner;
- gas bottle with a special nozzle;
- dremel.
In addition to fire and wood, you will need a tool to clean the burnt layers. If you plan to process small bars and planks, a stiff metal brush is well suited. Large-scale constructions - large furniture, floors, stairs, buildings - it is more convenient to clean with a professional grinder, grinder saw, drill with a special nozzle.
For overcast burning residues a fleitz is required - a soft-bristle brush.
All work is done by protecting eyes, hands and clothing from possible sparks and burning. Nearby put a bucket or other utensils with water to extinguish unexpected flashes of fire.
We use a burner
Gas burner firing is most convenient. The flame should be smooth, calm, oblong and have a blue tint. The highest temperature required for pyrolysis is located at the top. Strong yellow firing flames are not permitted. For successful flame treatment, they are uniformly carried out several times on the surface. The movements should resemble brushing the material. Better to start from the top. The burnt board needs to be burnt to a depth of about 4 mm. For training, an inexperienced master can try to burn unnecessary trim, achieving a high result.
When the surface is uniformly charred, the loose burned layer is cleaned with a prepared tool. Brush or grinder act along the fibers so as not to damage the structure. At the same time, they use the flute, getting to the deeply hidden particles of the burning, cleaning them out. The cleaning process is painstaking and time-consuming. This must be done carefully and accurately, removing the detached soot completely, otherwise the material will look ugly. The quality of work is checked by wiping the tree with a napkin or a soft cloth. To enhance the relief, give the wood a look of real antiques, repeat the pyrolysis and brushing with a brush.
As a result of processing, a relief surface is obtained from dark golden to chocolate shades. Optionally, aniline-based dye is applied to the surface or a topcoat is applied immediately. You can use tinted primers, oil primers, nitrocellulose colorless varnishes, waxes.
Japanese way
According to this technology, only the top layer of ash is cleaned from wood, the boards are washed in water, and then impregnated with tung oil, which has antiseptic and moisture-repellent properties. The processed material will acquire a noble black and silver shade and shine. The modern approach allows for the convenience of using a gas burner, although in the old days for such purposes the tree was simply laid in a fire or stove. Firing allowed Japanese craftsmen to protect wooden structures and residential buildings from the spread of fires - the ash layer is practically immune to the effects of fire.
The service life of a burnt tree is increased several times. As a care, it is enough to cover it with varnish or impregnation once every 1-2 years.