Chainsaw Carving Care
Taking care of your chainsaw carving is super easy. Please note, wood is an organic material and some cracking is to be expected. Every effort is made during the carving process to keep cracks to a minimum, but wood has a mind of its own, and no carving will be crack-free. Think of them as features, not flaws. To minimize cracking, please follow the recommendations below.
Keep Your Carving Out of the Sun
If possible, it’s best to keep your carving out of direct sunlight. The sun can cause the carving to dry out too quickly and crack very badly.
Keep Your Carving Off of the Ground
Carvings will dry from the top down due to gravity. As the moisture settles toward the bottom, it will need room to escape. A quarter-inch lift is all that’s needed for a flat surface, a little more for grassy areas. Using bricks, pavers, or any kind of shim will help.
Keep Your Carving Outside!
Since these are carved from green (meaning freshly cut) wood, these will do best outside, where temperature and humidity changes are more gradual. Carvings brought inside too soon may dry faster than normal, resulting in a higher chance of cracking.
On larger and custom pieces, the carving is sealed before going out. Smaller pieces are finished with exterior grade paint and stains and ARE NOT sealed.
You can use SPAR URETHANE to seal your carvings. My preference is using Helmsman Spar Urethane, and you can get it in a spray can if you like.
