Brushing with fire. Burning wood with a blowtorch. Burning wood: why do it
AT modern construction wood is usually treated with chemicals. But after all, houses were built of wood before, and some of them still stand to this day. We invite you to get acquainted with the method of processing wood by firing and find out what is the advantage of this method.
How does firing affect wood?
As the subcortical layers of the tree grow, year after year, its fibrous cells die off due to the formation of pores. The high porosity, in particular, explains the hygroscopicity of wood - its ability to absorb and release water molecules, depending on the difference between its own humidity and the content of water vapor in the surrounding air.
The structure of wood fibers is always uneven: in the process of vital activity, cellulose polymers are formed in the tree. varying degrees stability, as well as sugars and resins of various types. It is the presence of pores and organic nutrient residues that determine the main disadvantages of wood: combustibility and the presence of a nutrient medium for the development of bacteria and fungi.
The ability to "seal" wood from the influences of the outside world still exists. It is used during the creosote cooking of wood or in the process of autoclave heating (thermolysis). When heated to 300-400 ° C, almost all unstable hemicellulose formations are destroyed, and it is they that serve as both a “launching pad” for igniting a tree (forming the primary volume of flammable pyrolysis gases) and an initial nutrient medium for the development of colonies of harmful organisms.
At home, such wood processing is incredibly difficult to reproduce. But it is quite possible to partially clog the internal pores and remove most of the unstable cellulose polymers. Even surface firing can heat the outer layer (5-20 mm) of wood enough to melt lignin and resins and form an inorganic crust that protects against most external influences. After proper firing, wood is almost impossible to re-ignite without intense and prolonged heating to 500-700 °C. At the same time, residual heat kills microorganisms that remain in the thickness of the tree, and the sintered outer layer does not allow the penetration of pathogenic organic matter from the outside.
Decorative value of burnt wood
Much more interesting is the visual effect of wood burning. It was thanks to him that the technology for processing wooden beams under the bizarre name "Shu-Sugi-Ban" was born in Japan, and the meticulousness of the Japanese in the interior design of dwellings is well known to everyone.
The appearance of wood treated in this way directly depends on the technique and depth of firing, and there are three types of them. The first - surface firing - allows you to create a brown-brown surface with a golden sheen, on which it appears quite contrastingly. wooden texture. The chemical and biological resistance of such wood is not high enough, therefore surface fired products are used, as a rule, in interior decoration. Due to the fact that the impact on the structure of the tree is minimal, because firing affects only 2-5 mm under the surface, finishing materials can retain their lightness, that is, it is quite possible to process ordinary lining in this way.
Deep firing wood is used for older lumber, often boards and beams that have already been in use. This technique helps to “renew” the wood: remove the dried surface gray layer and warm up the entire thickness of the wood with high quality. Due to this, the surface acquires a very expressive appearance: from iridescent graphite to jet black imitation of rare noble rocks. Perhaps, such a depth of black cannot be achieved by other methods, which is why deep-burned wood is so highly valued by designers.
The third degree of wood processing is its complete burning. Actually, it ceases to be a tree at all, turning, in fact, into a polymer-carbon plastic. At home, unfortunately, it is almost impossible to perform full firing: during the charring time, the fire will have time to eat almost half the thickness of the workpiece. Such a tree is used primarily in the manufacture of furniture. The technique guarantees the absolute uniqueness of each product, because the characteristic pattern and the resulting splits cannot be reproduced again.
What species and what type of wood is best to burn
Any wood is generally suitable for firing, but connoisseurs of subtle visual delights will most of all like rocks with an expressive and unusual texture. The original technology of Japanese origin originally used exclusively cedar. interesting view has a burnt hornbeam and beech board: due to high density such a tree burns only it upper layer, thanks to which anthracite and gray color overflows are achieved.
More popular valuable species such as alder, maple and poplar show an elongated texture after firing, while walnut or larch can form additional finer textured patterns. Burnt birch will be appreciated by lovers of baths or saunas: due to firing, its surface becomes very porous and acquires a low heat capacity, therefore, after heating, it does not burn the skin.
It is also surprising that, depending on the degree of roasting and the origin of the wood, even the same breed can manifest itself in completely different ways. To the use of burnt wood in decorative trim a thorough approach should be taken: stock up on samples different types from different sources and, after a series of experiments, come to a definite choice.
Remember also that the wood must be properly prepared before firing. It should have a low humidity, preferably no more than 12-13%, and also be natural, that is, without traces of painting and opening with drying oil. Otherwise, the absorbed resinous substances will appear unevenly on the surface and ruin the appearance. Of course, here much depends on the depth and time of processing by fire.
Roasting on coals in the field
The easiest way to do fireworking is best for deep firing. processed in this way decorative beams, as well as wood siding and a block house for exterior decoration. Due to deep heating, the wood becomes immune to atmospheric influences, and the influence of sunlight does not affect it at all.
For firing on coals, a narrow ditch should be dug, about 30 cm deep and wide, corresponding to the dimensions of the workpieces. A fire is made in the ditch, and as the fire burns, the firewood is constantly stirred, achieving their rapid charring. After that, the ditch must be covered with either sheet metal or a strip of OSB in order to temporarily prevent the access of oxygen and stop combustion.
Before laying the workpiece in the coals, it is necessary to rake the central furrow so that during firing, not only the lower part is processed, but also small areas On the sides. The exposure of the workpiece depends on the thickness and can range from two to three to fifteen minutes. After that, the workpiece is turned over to the opposite side, and then, after maintaining the same period of time, it is burnt on the sides.
It will be easier to remove the workpiece with a pair of steel wire hooks. After the tree is removed from the coals, it is immediately doused with water.
How to burn wood with a gas burner
Using gas burners is not an example easier. These can be either hand-held camping lamps or conventional nozzles connected to the cylinder via a hose.
It is convenient to treat wood with gas only by surface firing. Deeper exposure to the fire will not be uniform enough, resulting in the article having variable thickness and width. In addition, gas for deep heating will require quite a lot, while coals cost almost nothing.
At surface treatment wood touch the very edge of a light blue torch. The movements are conditionally the same as when painting. At the same time, it is quite easy to control the firing depth according to the degree of darkening.
The firing is followed by wetting, but in this case an ordinary hand sprayer will suffice. It is important that the time interval between fire treatment and water spray is the same for all areas of each part, so work consistently.
Burnt wood finishing
After the wood has cooled, soot and soot are removed from it. Brass wire brushes are used for this, so as not to peel off the excess. In the course of mechanical processing, texturing or the so-called artificial aging of wood can also be carried out.
Cleaned products can be mounted immediately. Additional processing is needed not so much to protect the structure of the tree, but to preserve its color and appearance as a whole years later, as well as to eliminate soiling. For interior decoration lining is covered with linseed or hemp oil in several layers. Wood for facade and others external works 1-2 times covered with a colorless nitrocellulose varnish with the addition of synthetic wax: either with a brush along the fibers, or with a spray gun.
- Application
- wood requirements
- Processing technology
- We use the burner
- Japanese way
Fire is the most dangerous enemy for wood and can quickly destroy any product made from it. It is strange to hear about the use of an open flame to process this material. With skillfully controlled surface firing, the characteristics of the wood are improved.
Application
The treatment of wood with fire emphasizes the natural structure, enhancing the contrast of the pattern, creating further immunity to decay, damage from ultraviolet radiation, harmful insects. In addition, such material acquires refractory properties. The surface loose layer, burning, closes the tubules and pores of wood, creating protection for deep-lying fibers from mold, bacteria, moisture, sunlight and wind. Various impregnations and antiseptics protect against destruction. However, such funds are expensive, contain chemical additives and may be toxic. Flame treatment is environmentally friendly, economical, does not require high professional skills.
Burnt wood in the interior looks aesthetically pleasing. This is how home brushing is performed - artificial aging of products and furniture: chests of drawers, tables, chairs, panels, baguettes, caskets. You can burn the material for installing lags floor coverings, window frames, frames, doors, stairs, gazebos, technical buildings, benches, well log cabins, fences. If it is necessary to process complex massive structures, it is desirable to burn wooden details before the assembly of structures, in order to successfully carry out the subsequent cleaning of hard-to-reach places. 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. It is better for inexperienced craftsmen to start with small boards or products.
wood requirements
Deciduous trees - maple, birch, beech, cherry, alder and others - cannot be treated with fire. It is desirable to burn only conifers: cedar, larch, spruce, pine. Their soft structure allows you to get as a result beautiful material without spots. 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 depressions, hard ones become more prominent, after cleaning this will provide a textured contrasting surface. Can handle wooden parts chipboard lined with pine veneer. If you need burnt wood for large-scale construction work, it is better to choose a better one, without structural defects.
Fresh material does not have to be pre-cooked before firing: the flame will remove all roughness, replacing grinding. You will have to think about the appearance after processing the wood with fire. It is enough to clean off resin drips from lumber. In the event of their ignition, all work will be spoiled. If the surface of the furniture or other product was previously covered with putty, paint or varnish, their residues are sanded to prevent unexpected ignition and protect against stains that cannot be cleaned. Wood impregnated with stain is fired according to the general rules. The surfaces covered with drying oil are not subject to processing. Old darkened wooden canvas it is better to sand, getting to the fresh fibers, in order to get an outwardly beautiful material at the finish.
The wood to be fired must not be damp. This is especially true for fresh boards. 15% is the allowed upper limit for moisture content.
Processing technology
In industry, large massifs of wood are fired in special vacuum furnaces. The thickness of the combustible layers in this case can reach 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 starting work, you need to take care of the safety of the surrounding space and the objects in it. Roasting should be done outdoors in calm weather. Small boards can be processed on the balcony, large items must be taken out into the street. At the same time, paper, plywood, cardboard products, rags, textiles, flammable chemicals. It is advisable to work on fireproof stone surface, metal sheet.
Suitable for firing as a source of flame:
- powerful blowtorch;
- building hair dryer;
- burner;
- gas cylinder 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 structures - large furniture, floors, stairs, buildings - are more convenient to clean with a professional grinder, grinder saw, drill with a special nozzle.
To sweep the remnants of burning, a flute is required - a brush with soft bristles.
All work is carried out by protecting eyes, hands and clothing from possible sparks and burning. A bucket or other utensils of water are placed nearby to extinguish unforeseen outbreaks of fire.
We use the burner
Burning gas burner most convenient. The flame should be even, calm, oblong and have a blue tint. The highest temperature required for pyrolysis is located at the top. Strong yellow fire for firing is unacceptable. For successful flame treatment, the flame is evenly carried out several times over the surface. The movements should resemble painting the material with a brush. It is better to start from the top. The burnt board needs to burn through to a depth of about 4 mm. To train an inexperienced master, you can try to burn unnecessary trimmings, achieving a high result.
When the surface is evenly charred, the loose burnt layer is cleaned with a prepared tool. A brush or grinder works along the fibers so as not to damage the structure. At the same time, they use a flute, getting to the deeply hidden particles of burning, cleaning them out. The cleaning process is painstaking and time-consuming. This must be done carefully and carefully, removing the detached soot completely, otherwise the material will look ugly. The quality of work is checked by wiping the wood with a napkin or soft cloth. To enhance the relief, to give the wood a look of real antiques, pyrolysis and brushing are repeated.
As a result of processing, a relief surface is obtained from dark golden to chocolate shades. Optionally, an aniline-based dye is applied to the surface or a top coat is made immediately. You can use tinted priming mixtures, oil primers, nitrocellulose clear varnishes, waxes.
Japanese way
According to this technology, only the top layer of ash is removed from the wood, the boards are washed in water, and then impregnated with tung oil, which has antiseptic and water-repellent properties. The processed material will acquire a noble black-silver hue and shine. Modern approach allows for convenience to use a gas burner, although in the old days for such purposes the tree was simply put into a fire or stove. Roasting 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 the burnt wood increases several times. As a care, it is enough to cover it with varnish or impregnation once every 1-2 years.
- Application
- wood requirements
- Processing technology
- We use the burner
- Japanese way
It is known that fire is the most dangerous enemy of wood and is able to quickly destroy it. Based on this, it is strange to hear about the use of an open flame to process this material. However, with competently controlled firing of the surface with the help of fire, it is possible to improve performance characteristics wood, protect it from the effects of external aggressive factors and significantly transform its appearance, giving it a unique look.
The treatment of wood with fire emphasizes the natural structure of the material, enhancing the contrast of the pattern, creating further immunity to decay, UV damage, harmful insects. In addition, such material acquires refractory properties. The loose surface layer, burning, closes the tubules and pores of wood, creating protection for deep-lying fibers from mold, bacteria, moisture, sunlight and wind. In a similar way, various impregnations and antiseptics protect the material from destruction. However, these products are expensive, contain chemical additives, and can be toxic. Flame treatment is environmentally friendly, economical, does not require high professional skills.
Burnt wood in the interior looks aesthetically pleasing. Home brushing is done in a similar way - artificial aging of products and furniture: chests of drawers, tables, chairs, panels, picture frames, caskets. You can burn material for installing floor joists, window casings, frames, doors, stairs, gazebos, technical buildings, benches, well log cabins, fences. If it is necessary to process complex massive structures, it is advisable to burn the wood before assembling the structures in order to successfully carry out subsequent cleaning of hard-to-reach places. Taking on large buildings is also not worth it because you can not keep track of the direction and strength of the flame, causing an uncontrolled fire. It is better for inexperienced craftsmen to start with small boards or products.
wood requirements
Deciduous trees - maple, birch, beech, cherry, alder and others - should not be treated with fire. It is desirable to burn only conifers: cedar, larch, spruce, pine. Their soft structure results in an excellent beautiful material without stains. For decorative products, a canvas of any quality is suitable: with knots, complex twists, eyes - the more effective the final result will be. Burning soft fibers form depressions, hard ones become more prominent, after cleaning this will provide a textured contract surface. It is allowed to process in this way not only an array, but also chipboard boards sheathed with coniferous veneer. If burnt wood is required for large-scale construction work, it is better to choose a better one, without structural defects.
Fresh material does not need to be pre-cooked before firing: the flame will remove all roughness, replacing grinding. You will have to take care of the appearance after the wood has been treated with fire. The only thing worth doing is to clean off the resin drips from the lumber or pre-resin them. In the event of a fire, all work will be spoiled. If the surface of the furniture or other product was previously covered with putty, paint or varnish, their residues are sanded to prevent unexpected ignition and protect the material from indelible stains. Wood impregnated with stain is fired according to the general rules. The surfaces covered with drying oil are not subject to processing. It is better to sand the old darkened wooden surface, getting to the fresh fibers, in order to get an aesthetic and beautiful material at the finish.
The firing material should not contain much moisture. This is especially true for fresh boards. 15% is the allowed upper limit of water content.
Processing technology
In industry, large massifs of wood are fired in special vacuum furnaces. The thickness of the combustible layers in this case can reach 20 mm. At home, it is impossible to achieve such results, and there is no special need for them. You can provide the material with protective properties and give a decorative appearance using simple household tools.
Before starting work, you need to take care of the safety of the surrounding space and the objects in it. Roasting should be done outdoors in calm weather. Small boards can be processed on the balcony, large items must be taken out into the street. At the same time, be sure to remove paper, plywood, cardboard products, rags, textiles, flammable chemicals from nearby surfaces. It is advisable to work on a refractory stone surface, metal sheet.
Suitable for firing as a source of flame:
- powerful blowtorch;
- building hair dryer;
- gas-burner;
- gas cylinder with a special nozzle;
- dremel.
It is useful to recall that it is important to be able to use the listed equipment.
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 structures - large furniture, floors, stairs, buildings - are more convenient to clean with a professional grinder, grinder saw, drill with a special nozzle.
To sweep the remnants of burning, a flute is required - a brush with soft bristles.
All work is carried out by protecting eyes, hands and clothing from possible sparks and burning. Nearby put a bucket or other utensils with water to extinguish unforeseen fires.
We use the burner
Burning with a gas burner is the most common. The flame should be even, calm, oblong and have a blue tint. The highest temperature required for pyrolysis is its upper part. A strong yellow fire is not suitable for firing. For successful flame treatment, the flame is evenly carried out several times over the surface. The movements should resemble painting the material with a brush. It's always best to start at the top. The burnt board needs to burn through to a depth of about 4 mm. To train an inexperienced master, you can try to burn unnecessary trimmings, achieving a high-quality result.
When the surface is evenly charred, the loose burnt layer is cleaned with a prepared tool. With a brush or grinder, they act exclusively along the fibers so as not to damage the structure. At the same time, they use a flute, getting to the deeply hidden particles of burning, picking them out. This process is the most painstaking and time-consuming, it is important to perform it carefully, completely removing the detached soot, otherwise the material will look ugly. The quality of work is checked by wiping the wood with a napkin or soft cloth. To enhance the relief, to give the wood a look of real old antiques, pyrolysis and brushing are repeated.
As a result of processing, a relief surface is obtained from dark golden to chocolate shades. Optionally, the material is shaded with an aniline-based dye or a topcoat is applied immediately. You can use tinted priming mixtures, oil primers, nitrocellulose clear varnishes, waxes.
Japanese way
According to Japanese technology, only the top layer of ash is removed from the wood, the boards are washed in water, and then impregnated with tung oil, which has antiseptic and moisture-repellent properties. The material processed in this way acquires a noble black-silver hue and shine. The modern approach makes it possible to use a gas burner for convenience, although in the old days, for such purposes, wood was simply put into a fire or oven. Roasting allowed the inhabitants of the islands to protect in this way wooden buildings and residential buildings from the spread of fires - the ash layer on the material is practically immune to the effects of fire.
The service life of the burnt wood increases several times. As a care, it is enough to cover it with varnish or impregnation once every 1-2 years.
Wood is a good material: if you want - build it, if you want - use it for decoration. It is possible and
do. One of the important positive properties wood is a mass of options for finishing its surface. Each method gives its own unique effect, and it can be matched to any image and style.
This material is durable: furniture made of natural wood with proper care, it lasts for many years - tens, or even hundreds. And wood does not lose its beauty over time - on the contrary, like cognac, it can become even more interesting.
Time doesn't spoil wooden furniture Time-worn charm wooden surface so much so that there is a whole trend in the production of furniture - artificial aging. In previous publications on this topic (Updating old furniture. Aging by staining and Renewing old furniture. The charm of cracks) it was about how you can make furniture look old with the help of varnishes and paints. In this material, we will consider how to give the surface of a tree a more respectable look by mechanical means.
brushing
The wood is heterogeneous in its composition: annual rings are visible on the saw cut of the tree. The number of circles determines age, and their width depends on many reasons: breed, nutritional conditions, weather, location (in the sun or in the shade). Annual rings are wider in young trees - they grow more actively. The size of the rings is also affected by whether a particular tree has grown from a seed (narrower) or root shoots.
Annual rings of a tree The light and wider section of the ring is an increase in the first half of the active vegetation period (spring and early summer), thin and dark - what has grown over the second half of summer and autumn. All together represents the growth of one year.
At the beginning of summer, a looser conductive tissue is formed. From the second half, solid cells grow that can withstand mechanical stress - they give the tree stability. The pattern of annual rings is also visible on the longitudinal cut of the tree.
Over time, wood breaks down. Especially if the board or wood product is in the open air - under the influence of the sun, rain, frost and wind. Light soft areas are destroyed faster, so over time the surface of the wood becomes uneven, ribbed.
Old board In order to achieve such a result, it is not necessary to wait many years, keeping the tree under the sun and wind. Wood can be aged brushing.
The process consists in the mechanical removal of softer fibers. To do this, use hard brushes (in English brush - brush). Depending on the required degree of aging, tools of various hardness are used: metal, nylon, sisal. A combination of them is possible: a metal brush is used for deeper and rougher processing, and a nylon and then sisal surface is treated to remove burrs.
Brushes for brushing In addition to attachments for a drill or angle grinder (angle grinder, grinder), it is worth getting and hand tool- abrasive sandpaper of different grain sizes, manual cord brush. It is also convenient to use abrasive sponges: the flexible surface allows you to remove splinters from the recesses.
Regardless of the choice, during work, the direction of movement should be taken into account: it should be along the fibers of the wood. Therefore, brush attachments for power tools need flat, and not in the form of a cup.
Before starting the aging process, practice on a sample.
With the help of various brushes, it is possible to imitate not only atmospheric aging (exposure to wind, sun), but also the effect of a piece of wood run in water - such can be found on the banks of a river or sea. In this case, the wood is processed more deeply, and "traces of time" can be not only along the fibers. An example of such aging is the box in the photo below.
Wood aging. Photo from o-drevesine.ru
Except mechanical way(brushes), the wood is textured using chemistry or sandblasting. The principle is the same: softer parts are removed.
AT chemical way acids and alkalis are used that can corrode organic matter, for example, sulfuric or nitric acid. You can experiment with aggressive household chemicals designed to remove stubborn dirt. Chemical treatment is applied as independent option or as initial stage before mechanical brushing.
Combination of old boards and modern model sofa. Photo from the site mebelica.ru When sandblasting, abrasive particles knock out softer layers. Sandblasting can be found in car repair shops - with the help of such equipment, rust is removed.
Usage different ways brushing allows you to get a different effect. When processing with metal brushes, the relief of wood fibers will be deeper and more pronounced, after chemical etching and sandblasting - smoothed.
The treated wood is covered with stains and varnishes. After obtaining the required texture, the wood is treated with stains, waxes, glaze coatings, and varnishes. Tinting compositions (stains) stain soft areas more strongly than hard ones. Azure (glazing) additionally emphasizes the relief, accumulating in the recesses.
Burning
Wood firing is most often seen as the first step in brushing - just as with chemical etching, in the first place, softer areas are destroyed (burned).
The beauty of simplicity. Photo from wickdpleasures.tumblr.com
The wooden surface is fired with a blowtorch or gas burner, and then the charred parts are cleaned, washed with plenty of water and covered with oil. The degree of firing and subsequent brushing depends on preference.
The wood that has gone through fire and water does not need additional toning - the surface of the board takes on a noble dark shade. But if desired, the charred tree can be additionally covered with colored stains. The combination of red and jet black looks especially impressive.
A house lined with burnt boards. Photo from skyhousedesigncentre.com
Firing can be an independent type of finishing. Now this direction is gaining popularity and is considered Japanese technology Shou Sugi Ban (Yakisugi), although this woodworking method is known in many countries. In Russia, burning wood was called smoking.
Fire-treated wood becomes less combustible and is practically not subject to rotting and damage by insects. Therefore, such boards are used for cladding facades, building fences. It is not necessary to regularly paint such a fence or facade - a burnt board does not change its qualities for a hundred years.
Burnt wood fence. Photo from oilobit.com
Naturally, the designers could not pass by such material. They began to use objects treated with fire in their interiors, to use boards using the Shou Sugi Ban technique of varying degrees of burntness to decorate walls and ceilings. Coated with oil, the surfaces do not get dirty.
Wall cladding in Shou Sugi Ban technique. Photo courtesy urbantimber.ca
Try texturing familiar wood - you may discover a new material for yourself.
Structuring is a technique that allows you to most clearly highlight and show natural beauty wood. Often this method is called "brushing" - from English word"brush" - brush, clean, clean.
Brushing is used for those types of wood that have a good structure visible to the naked eye. The annual rings of such wood should be distinguishable and separated from each other at a considerable distance. The meaning of structuring is to select soft fibers from the top layer of the wood surface. In place of the soft layers, depressions appear, and the harder layers form ridges. In this case, the surface becomes embossed, textured.
For structuring, wood is most suitable, which has a low density, uneven texture, and, oddly enough, has some "defects" that often reduce the cost of the material, but after brushing give amazing decorative effects. Such defects include the presence of knots, tortuosity (a tortuous or disorderly arrangement of wood fibers), curls (curvature of the annual layers near the knots), eyes (traces of dormant buds that have not developed into an escape).
Types of wood suitable for structuring: pine, spruce, larch, oak, ash, walnut,
Not suitable for brushing: beech, pear, cherry, juniper, teak, maple, alder.
Structuring is carried out in two ways - chemical and mechanical. With the chemical method special formulations are applied to the surface of the wood, soften it, and then mechanical scraping of the soft layers occurs. Although it is faster and easier, the chemical structuring process has its big disadvantages. For chemical brushing, ammonia, shumanite and other far from “soft” agents are used, which means that work must be done in special protection and in well-ventilated areas. In short, filth is everything, filth, and it doesn't suit us. Therefore, let's move on to mechanical brushing. It is manual and machine. The latter is good for large large-scale works or for mass production - parquet, walls, beams. There is a selection of layers using special devices or brush attachments for a drill.
And what about us, we would like to make beautiful boards and boxes, so we will all use pens ... For manual brushing, we need a beautiful wooden blank with flat surface, of course, a brush and a wide bristle brush - flute. You will need a brush like this:
you can buy it in most household and construction stores, and many have it at home - it is used to clean surfaces from old paint.
Structuring wood is soft and hard. With soft structuring, the selection of fibers occurs at a shallow depth, it only “marks” the pattern of wood. This treatment is good for subsequent varnishing. tinting, decoupage on unprimed wood, Rigid structuring is performed to a great depth, sometimes in 2-3 steps, depressions and ridges are clearly visible, the workpiece resembles old board, lain long time open air. After this brushing, the wood can be tinted, giving it an aged look, most suitable for the bare-grain technique.
Well, the theoretical part is over, I propose to move on to practice. We all know how to tint, paint, stain and wax wood, so I won't talk about that. And show brushing on simple tree- boring. I want to show brushing after firing - this is a rarer technique, but quite affordable and not complicated.
To do this, however, you need one device - a gas burner. Now you can buy a wonderful contraption, such a Dremel Boschevsky
It refuels with gas from a conventional lighter canister, refilling lasts for a long time. Just do not forget about safety precautions - after all, the flame there has a very decent temperature! By the way. There are a lot of attachments in the kit, very useful. With this burner you can burn wood and leather (pyrograph), you can solder, you can clean old paint So many things I haven't fully explored yet...
Now let's get started. So, we need a wooden blank (preferably pine) with a beautiful fiber structure, a burner, a brush, a flute. Work is best done outdoors (after all, smoke, fire, again, and there will be a lot of dust). I burn in the apartment - and on the balcony with open frames, the smoke pulls a little, but not a disaster, and the smell is pleasant. Yes, and the household does not mind, knowing that I know how to handle this device and I will not set the apartment on fire. But I’m already going to do the sampling on another one - outdoor balcony in the common hall, where the breeze blows, the dust does not fly into the apartment.
There was a pine box from Armagnac on the farm, so I will work on it.
We turn on the burner and begin to burn the surface. The firing should be carried out evenly, without staying in one place for a long time, but also not “flickering” with your hand, allowing the wood to burn evenly, without strongly burned and light unburned spots. Choose the degree of "charring" yourself - it can be from weak "smoking" to complete blackening. Just to make sure everything is the same. I like stronger, but it's a matter of taste.
Hold the burner like a handle, do not strain your hand so that the movements are smooth, not jerky. And do not be afraid - the burner handle does not heat up, just do not substitute your other hand under the flame.
Sometimes there are resin pockets and streaks in the wood, the resin starts to burn - do not let it do this. just blow out the flame. Otherwise, in this place the tree will burn more strongly, then there will be a stain. Knots and other "beauties" are sometimes fried worse, this place can be fired several times, for uniformity.
This is what the box looks like
and this pine board from my early work, I will show the result later
When the firing is completed, we proceed to the selection. You will need a brush and a hard brush. A brush is needed for sweeping scraped sawdust.
Lay the workpiece horizontally, brush over the burnt surface strictly along the fibers, in one direction, in long strokes from start to finish. If it is possible to fix the workpiece, then you can work with both hands, with the second pressing on the top of the brush and creating additional effort. If you work with one hand, then be very careful - take care of the other hand! The bristles on the brush are metal and sharp, one careless movement - and you will need iodine and a bandage, and the workpiece will be “protonated” into a different color, which will be difficult to get rid of. So "Senya, take care of your hand!"
By the way, during normal brushing, without firing, to reduce the amount of dust and more easy work, the surface of the workpiece can be wetted with water. But don't soak too much, just spritz or go over with a wet brush and let it sit for a couple of minutes. Soft fibers are removed more easily.
After a little scraping, we take a flute in our hand and clean off the sawdust. It is necessary to clean not with free arbitrary strokes, but again along the fibers, in the direction in which the brush was worked. And not with stroking movements, as we apply paint, but “against the pile”, as if knocking out, picking out dust from the recesses with bristles. If you do it differently, the dust particles are smoothed out in the cavities, clogged deeper.
After we have cleaned the workpiece, we will begin to scrape further, here you can turn it over, work with a brush in reverse direction. But again, only along the fibers, only with long movements. If the brush is unsuccessfully brushed over the fibers, deep visible scratches will remain. Do we need it?
So, we evenly scrape and clean off the sawdust until that moment. until we like the color and texture of the wood. You can stop a little earlier, you can stop later. Here is the box after firing and structuring:
It can still be scraped off, it will be more contrasting, but even now it is already clear that soft layers are selected faster and easier. This blank can now be tinted or do something else with it. But it was a single firing and brushing - it turned out to be soft structuring, the relief does not stand out much. If you want something more "extreme", you can do a second firing and scrape again. The result will be like this (these are fragments of the board that I showed in a charred form). These are fragments, viewed at an angle, but the relief is clearly visible:
And this is the top view
I am generally a lover of hard structuring, I finished goods I don't tone. and cover with wax or wax varnish. I like the roughness and "naturalness" of the material. But this is my choice, and most still use tinting, staining, bleaching and other decorative techniques.
My works in this technique are simple, rough and unpretentious... Owls, however, are painted in oil, but I have already written about them before.
Despite the century with perfect technologies and progress in development, wooden housing is more relevant than ever. Also successful and various elements wood decor.
One of the most recent innovations is the burning of wood, which fits well into the most varied design interior. At first glance, some may say that this technology is somewhat absurd. Nevertheless, due to its uniqueness and originality, it is quite successfully used and continues to gain popularity year after year.
Benefits of technology for the average consumer
Despite the fact that in Europe and, for example, in Japan, this original technology known for a long time, in Russia they learned about it relatively recently.
It is worth noting that it is quickly gaining popularity in the line of extraordinary arrangements for both interior and exterior decoration, and there are many reasons for this:
It is surprising that during firing it is possible to paint wood in various unique shades, and for example, with the help of paints, these results, if they can be achieved, are only at great expense and with the help of specialists.
What is the firing technology based on?
In total, there are three principles of burning wood:
- Surface treatment.
- Full.
- Deep.
Full processing is more suitable for large-scale volumes. For its implementation, the wood is loaded into vacuum furnaces, the temperature in which is very high and sometimes reaches 400 degrees.
It should immediately be noted that such a technology is rare, because due to the influence of such high temperatures any tree loses its original strength.
As for another processing option, deep, it is carried out in open furnaces. The wood in these kilns is burned for some time and then stewed under the pressure of water. Tellingly, this method allows the material to burn through up to 20 mm, and despite this, it remains as strong as it was originally.
In this case, there is also negative side. Since this technique does not create a very presentable appearance, it is rarely used.
As for the third option, it rightfully belongs to the most popular, especially among home use. For example, with the help of it, furniture and other interior details are fired.
This type of wood processing is carried out using a conventional spray can with a special nozzle, or a blowtorch. On average, the burn depth does not exceed 4 mm, and after the procedure, the wood is polished, as a result of which the final result acquires not only beautiful textural outlines, but also durability and durability.
Roasting at home
Wood burning is an easy procedure, even under home conditions:
To begin with, a thorough preparation of wood for the process is carried out. To do this, rid the surface of the material of excess moisture and dust and grind it.
Especially carefully it is necessary to check the wood for moisture, because due to excess moisture, the material during the firing procedure can become stained and striped and, accordingly, lose part of its attractive appearance and strength.
It is best to work with the material that has just been processed and has retained its texture pattern and color patterns. If he managed to darken, then it is recommended to process it again with a planer or sandpaper.
Important! Do not use for firing any wood that has been treated with materials such as drying oil and putty. The fact is that when heated, these materials contribute to the appearance of stains with a dirty tint, and the natural layers of wood and texture patterns are simply not determined.
Before proceeding with the procedure, the burner must be adjusted to such an extent until the flame itself becomes bluish and oblong.
If soot has accumulated in it, then the flame will be uneven with a yellowish tint and, as a result, the firing procedure will become unproductive.
It must be understood that not the flame itself, but only its top contributes to the necessary firing. Because only it has the highest temperature. Professionals in this matter strongly advise beginners not to endanger furniture designs until the necessary skills are developed various cuts. Firstly, in this case, you can slowly set up the burner, and secondly, get the necessary experience.
Rules for firing furniture
When you want something new, but there is either no money for it, or just a desire to do it yourself, then the burnt wood in the interior is the most best option choice. For example, if in a house or a closet it was lying around unnecessary furniture, the same chest of drawers, you can decorate it yourself in this original way.
For this procedure you will need:
- Acrylic paint with a brush.
- Roasting tool. For example a burner.
- Metal brush.
- Sanding machine.
- The required number of handles covered with bronze.
- The pine chest of drawers.
To begin with, after setting the burner, the firing procedure of the entire surface is carried out. After that, it is necessary to carefully get rid of the formed burning with the help of a grinding machine and a brush for metal.
Due to the fact that pine has both hard and soft fibers, a fairly presentable and unique pattern on the relief is achieved during processing.
The next step is getting rid of dust, after which the chest of drawers is painted acrylic paint, but in principle you can use any other, for example, HF or a latex analogue.
The most diverse color schemes can be chosen, but if we start from the most suitable for pine, then it is worth focusing on ivory and the paint is applied strictly along the existing fibers. Otherwise, there is a high probability that some of the relief parts of the surface simply will not be painted.
After that, it is worth waiting until the paint is absorbed and dried, and then re-treat the surface with a grinder, due to which the applied paint will remain only in the recesses formed.
In order to show the structure of the wood on the material, it should be sanded slowly and in a delicate manner.
In conclusion, you should provide the chest of drawers with handles. In the condition of tinted bronze, this type of decor will finally distinguish the chest of drawers from any other furniture in the interior.
How to make burnt wood original
In order to make the product more attractive in terms of external characteristics, before applying varnish to it, it can be slightly shaded with an aniline dye.
There are plenty of options for such decor. For example, for a matte shade, a small amount of a special wax-based color should be added to the varnish before application.
Do not confuse! In no case should natural wax be used for this treatment, since it will not lose its sticky properties after processing. Before adding technical wax to the varnish, it dissolves in turpentine, heated to 40-45 degrees.
Together, wood treated with varnish and passed through the fire becomes, first of all, durable and at the same time beautiful and original.
If the facade is finished in this way, then the minimum time of its service is from 4 to 6 years, and when finishing interior items within 9-12.
Video: firing wood in the interior
Burning wood is one of the simplest ways to decorate and protect the surface from a number of harmful effects. How to do such an operation at home is described step by step in the article.
Who invented burning wood?
According to one version, it is believed that the Japanese were the first to burn wood. At the same time, they used this technology, oddly enough, not on their products. Initially, in this way they kept the forests from fire during the fire season. The burnt lower part of the barrel became difficult to ignite and, accordingly, was less exposed to fire.The second popular legend also comes from Japan. If you believe this version, then once the Japanese noticed that after a fire in the forest, charred trunks lasted longer than those that had passed the fire. In particular, they noted for themselves that burnt wood does not rot so quickly, and insects do not sharpen it at all.
Later, this technology, prompted by nature itself, began to be used in construction. So, before installation, the roofing board, wall beam, wooden piles. This made the building more durable, protected from insects and, in part, from fire.
Still later, firing began to be used to decorate wood products, in particular, for outdoor use. The goal, in this case, was not only to protect the material from harmful effects, but also to give the surface an attractive appearance.
There is also a version that the Vikings began to burn wood long before the Japanese. They applied this technology to the processing of their ships.
Benefits of burnt wood
The advantages of fire-treated wood are as follows:- presentable appearance;
- unattractive to insects;
- increased fire resistance;
- compacted surface;
- increased strength;
- improved moisture resistance;
- wear resistance;
- protection from ultraviolet radiation.
Application of technology at home
In everyday life, firing lumber is used everywhere. The technology allows without the use of stains, toners and oils to turn pine into rare wood. In particular, with deep roasting, which is described in this article, the most defective pine easily turns into wenge (it grows mainly in Africa).It is especially useful to use firing in the manufacture of products and structures that will be used outdoors. It could be garden furniture, fence, gazebo. Also, wooden elements of housing are often treated with fire - sheathing, frontal boards, terraces, stair balusters, and so on.
Burnt wooden boxes, gift cases, picture frames, grooves and photographs, various coasters and lamps will look beautiful.
What kind of wood can be burned?
Not all wood can be protected and decorated in this way. First of all, this applies to fruit species, oak, ash and alder. However, the most common lumber - pine and Christmas tree - is perfectly burned. You can also fire veneer and plywood.For firing, it is best to choose a material on which an ornate structure is visible. During processing, the soft wood will burn out and be removed, and the hard fibers will stand out more dark color. At the same time, knots, blue, fungus and other defects are not a problem for fire.
When firing softwood it is better to take the dried material. It burns much faster, it has less resin, with which there will be certain problems later. Raw wood is also quite possible to burn. However, it should be borne in mind that such processing will partially clog the pores of the material, and the moisture remaining inside will come out much longer, which is not good.
Tools and materials for firing
The main tool in this business is a gas burner. Just open fire (gas stove, fire, etc.) does not fit well, and it will not work to evenly burn a large surface. It is also undesirable to use a blowtorch on gasoline. It burns, of course, excellently, but drops of unburned fuel can fly out of its nozzle, leaving glossy spots on the wood. Alternatively, you can try using a building hair dryer. But a lot of time is spent with it, and deep roasting cannot be achieved.A gas burner is suitable for this business the best way. Worth a penny, safe to use, easy to control and configure. You can even get by with the cheapest Chinese-made version, which, together with a can of gas, will cost about $ 5.
For large-scale work, it is better to get a large gas burner, which is designed for laying bituminous roofing.
In addition to a source of directed fire, you will also need felt. In extreme cases, you can take a washcloth from the kitchen for washing dishes and use its harder side for work.
Basically, that's all it takes.
Staged firing of wood. technology nuances.
Deep firing should begin with a surface pass of the burner over the material. At this stage, you need to evenly warm up the wood, burn out the protruding pile, and also open the places where large quantities resin is concentrated. These areas will need special attention later.
The photo just shows such places well. As a rule, they appear on knots, and after the first pass they do not darken, but are covered with boiling resin. It is highly flammable and can ruin the whole result, so you should carefully warm up the knots. Warmed up, waited until it boils, then again. Repeat until the boil stops.
While the resin boils and the wood in these places cools down, the second stage is carried out in parallel - deep firing. The goal is to make the surface char and crack slightly. The photo below shows how it looks.
The next step is cleaning the surface of soot. This can be done in several ways: using felt, a soft brush or a special attachment for a grinder (brushing brush). The only condition for all cases is that it is necessary to clean off the soot only in the direction of the wood fibers.
Sandpaper is not suitable for this purpose. It is advisable to use it only for surface firing of wood. In this case, it is necessary to remove all burnt soft fibers, and sandpaper without scratches will not cope with this task.
By the way, if you want the result to be lighter than in the above photos, you need to brush the surface longer. But achieve more light shades only with a brush. Felt "get" to light wood will not work.
Some masters wash off the soot with water, which, in principle, gives a good result. But it should be borne in mind that dry wood, in direct contact with water, will take on some moisture, which, in turn, can lead to deformations and other problems in the future. A more predictable result is obtained only dry.
After firing, it remains only to cover the wood with a protective compound. To get silky matte surface, which will feel like a clean tree to the touch - use special oils. Glossy surface, iridescent under sunbeams and at different viewing angles from black to light - obtained after applying several layers of conventional wood varnish.
