# question on oak and maple and how they hold bark



## jason6586 (Mar 24, 2014)

Hello, 

I am planning a project in my house and want to use logs sawed in quarters to put in my corners and various other kind of cuts for other applications in the room. My question is how the bark will stay on over time. I am not really concerned with what kind of wood used but i would like something with coarse bark like oak or maple. I would be looking for dry logs and have them cut on a band mill. Has anyone had experience with doing stuff like this and what are the do's and don'ts. Any additional info would be great as well.

Thanks


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## oldboy (Mar 26, 2014)

I peeled logs for a few years, mostly lodge pole pine and doug fir. There are some ways of peeling that can look really nice, like twisting the knife around the log as you pull it toward you, or leaving a little of the cambium on in spotty areas can make a peeled log look really good, keeping your drawknife sharp and nick-free is key. 

I like the natural bark look too. I've recently made some planters out of green red alder, and I'd like to keep the bark intact over time. I think applying a urethane of some type would help, maybe mixed with some clear resin, or epoxy.


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## newguy11 (Mar 28, 2014)

I've heard that trees felled in the winter will tend to keep their bark, whereas felled in the summer will shed their bark. Not sure about that though. I cut a hickory mantel off of a tree that was felled in the fall, and the bark has stayed on so far for about 8yrs


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## rarefish383 (Apr 4, 2014)

This cabin was built in the 1930's from Tulip Poplars cut on site. The current owner said two old guys from WV built it and used a secret solution to make the bark hold. They ran out of poplar logs and did one whole wall in the back with Pine, and they stripped the Pine Because they said they couldn't make the bark hold. Since seeing this cabin I've watched Poplar bark and seen this: When poplar is fresh cut the bark has a stinky, slimy, wet layer under it that lets the bark separate and pop right off. If you keep the log out of weather, and as dry as possible, until the moisture under the bark has dried out the bark starts to hold quite well. The other thing about Poplar bark, when it comes off, it comes off in big pieces. If you quarter your logs and put them in place, and the bark does come off, it would probably do it in one big piece. Then, make sure it's dry on both the log and bark, glue it back on. Use some deck screws with star heads (torx) and screw it on, pulling the heads down into the bark where they can't be seen, Joe.


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