spalted wood
- Thread starter hirokatsu
- Start date
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2001
- Messages
- 1,152
From www.thewoodbox.com.
What is it?
Spalting is a by-product of the rotting process that is carried out by a vast array of stain, mold and decay fungi, that are found naturally on the forest floor. When the temperature and humidity are right, spalting can cause many different and beautiful patterns in rotting wood. The unusual colouration may be due to chemically induced reactions between the wood, fungi and insect deposits, often resulting in black, pink, grey and multicoloured streaked wood.
It is decorative and can be greatly valued over the uninfected wood. Lighter coloured woods like birch and maple offer the best canvas for dramatic spalting. Once the wood has been cut and kiln dried, the fungi can no longer grow, and the spalting process will stop. Airflow, wood moisture content above 25% and air temperature between 60 and 80 degrees F. are all necessary for spalting.
What is it?
Spalting is a by-product of the rotting process that is carried out by a vast array of stain, mold and decay fungi, that are found naturally on the forest floor. When the temperature and humidity are right, spalting can cause many different and beautiful patterns in rotting wood. The unusual colouration may be due to chemically induced reactions between the wood, fungi and insect deposits, often resulting in black, pink, grey and multicoloured streaked wood.
It is decorative and can be greatly valued over the uninfected wood. Lighter coloured woods like birch and maple offer the best canvas for dramatic spalting. Once the wood has been cut and kiln dried, the fungi can no longer grow, and the spalting process will stop. Airflow, wood moisture content above 25% and air temperature between 60 and 80 degrees F. are all necessary for spalting.