Drying felled silver birch for crafting

[Bramblewood]

Hi
Newbie middle aged inexperienced woodworker here. Had a silver birch fall in garden in November. Chainsawed into sections branches and trunk) and have kept dry. Want to prevent splitting whilst drying. Advice on products to use please (eg Pentacryl type products). Want to slice branches for wood discs for crafting and slice trunk for chopping boards, wall art or something simple to start me off. Is it best to chop to size before drying or after or doesn’t it really matter? Thanks!

 

[guineafowl21]

I would leave it as whole as possible - splitting happens at the ends so if you have more ends, you get more splitting. You might want to consider planking the trunk using a chainsaw mill.

Keep it off the ground and undercover.

A WoodMizer demonstrator told me to paint the ends with the part-used tins of paint everyone has in their garage. I use PVA diluted with water.

 

[loftyhermes]

Silver Birch is nice to carve.

 

[Bramblewood]

I would leave it as whole as possible - splitting happens at the ends so if you have more ends, you get more splitting. You might want to consider planking the trunk using a chainsaw mill.

Keep it off the ground and undercover.

A WoodMizer demonstrator told me to paint the ends with the part-used tins of paint everyone has in their garage. I use PVA diluted with water.

Thanks. Loads of bits of paint lying around!

 

[gog64]

I used to use old paint to seal end grain on fresh sawn planks, blanks etc. It was better than nothing. Then I tried a specialised product (anchorseal is what I now use) and it’s just better, miles better. Much less splitting. I don’t understand the science, but if you are air drying any timber you’ve paid good money for, it’s worth a look.

 

[Torx]

What diameter approximately?

 

[Robbo3]

Silver birch will spalt nicely. If it does, keep an eye on it & dry it out before it goes too far & rots.

 

[OldWood]

Now I have never looked into this but isn't it the case tha the bark of silver birch is much more water proof than other species such that rot occurs from the inside out. Often I've seen fallen silver birches on the hills where the bark is intact but the wood inside rotten. I'm not sure how you would use this fact, if it is correct, but it might indicate that planking early is a good idea.

 

[Just4Fun]

I can believe that. We have a small wood that includes birch trees and they are often rotten at their core but to me look fine.

 

[Sean Hellman]

I use a fair bit, anything up to 5 to 6 inch left in the round in my workshop, standing upright. Larger stuff just split down the pith and left standing in workshop. make sure that anything over a couple of inches can have air circulating around the base other wise it will not dry properly and will rot. Birch is a lovely wood and underrated, the first 3 foot of larger birches can have some interesting grain and small burr eyes, great for axe handles etc as it is really tough.

I never seal the ends as the barks is so waterproof.

Left outside birch is one of the fastest rotting woods. The bark contains so many volatile oils that it is extremely durable and has had many uses throughout the millenniums.Slats quickly but you have to time it right as the wood soon becomes spongy.

 

[Bramblewood]

What diameter approximately?

15 inches diameter and already cut into 9 inch thickness rounds.

 

[Bramblewood]

Now I have never looked into this but isn't it the case tha the bark of silver birch is much more water proof than other species such that rot occurs from the inside out. Often I've seen fallen silver birches on the hills where the bark is intact but the wood inside rotten. I'm not sure how you would use this fact, if it is correct, but it might indicate that planking early is a good idea.

I have read that you should remove the bark due to it being so waterproof. But we chop and dry silver birch for firewood and it’s never rotted - branches up to 4 inches diameter - but I’ve never had such large chunks of trunk that have not been cut up smaller. The pieces are about 15inches in diameter and already cut up into 9 inches or less rounds.