Despite centuries of history, this ancient craftsmanship has never lost its relevance. On the contrary, thanks to technical progress, the appearance of new materials and functional tools - carved decoration has become even more refined and accessible.

WOOD CARVING=

The diversity of forms and types

Of all the many forms and types of expression, our ancestors have long preferred wood carving. Why? First of all, there was no more accessible material at that time, so malleable and fertile. Any decoration in ancient times was of practical nature: as they say, they made plates for children and displayed their creativity.

Not just in the little things

However, it was not only in the little things (as we now say, ‘accessories’) that carved decor could be found. Over time, openwork wood became an integral part of both hand-carved houses and even shipbuilding. In short, woodcarving is the oldest type of décor “from couture”, that is, hand-carved and unique.

Modern cutting

Modern cutting often uses not only mechanical tools (chisels, knives, cleavers, mincing tongs, files), but also electrical tools (electric pliers with various attachments, jigsaws and scrapers).

Purchase of finished material

However, the purchase of ready-made material does not exempt beginners from knowing the parameters of the correct wood used in creation. Let us list the most important of these:

For carving, hardwoods such as lime, aspen, birch and alder are preferred. The reason is that they are less likely to crack when drying. But hornbeam, beech, ash, maple, apple and larch are particularly prone to cracking. Conifers (pine, cedar, fir and spruce) occupy an intermediate position between the above species. They are used in carving, but are not recommended for beginners because of their hardness;

The next important parameter, partly mentioned earlier, is the moisture content of the wood: the ideal value is 8 ± 2 %. Higher moisture levels can lead to shrinkage and cracking later on, while lower moisture levels cause processing difficulties;

experts also pay attention to the timing of timber harvesting: the best time is autumn and winter, when the sap movement slows down (which has a positive effect on the subsequent drying of the product);

The pattern of a particular type of wood is also important to true professionals.