Ancientwood's Blog at LumberJocks.com http://lumberjocks.com/Ancientwood/blog Mon, 24 Aug 2009 23:35:16 GMT Structural Crack Filling http://lumberjocks.com/Ancientwood/blog/10629 Ancientwood has developed a technique for filling large, structural cracks, sometimes found in Ancient Kauri slabs. This is a step-by-step approach for creating a flat surface with beautiful patterns and design.

1. The slab must first be flattened. This can be done with a drum sander, planer or a CNC router.
2. After the slab is flat, locate cracks that need filling.
3. Fill any hairline cracks with color-matched latex putty. Wet the adjacent area of the Ancient Kauri with spirits to get an accurate color match for the putty (be careful not to get mineral spirits on the crack you are filling!)
4. Locate any larger cracks that may continue through to the underside of the slab.
5. Remove any bark within the crack (reserve for future use).
6. Dam the bottom of the crack by clamping wax paper and plywood to the bottom of the slab.
7. We use clear epoxy mixed with finely ground Ancient Kauri bark as the filler.
  • Grind collected bark with coffee grinder or something similar.
  • Sift ground bark with flour sifter to filter out the larger pieces – set aside.
  • Mix your epoxy (we use West System 105 epoxy resin and 207 special coating hardener), being careful not to create too many bubbles and making sure to combine both parts thoroughly.
  • Once the epoxy is mixed, add enough of the ground and sifted bark while slowly stirring to create a consistency similar to peanut butter. For a large crack you may want this thicker, and only partially fill the crack the first go. You can add more epoxy after the initial filling. We often use the epoxy clear on subsequent fills. This allows an opportunity to “see into” the wood, giving an interesting sense of depth to an otherwise flat surface
    8. Use a flat blade tool to push the filler into the cracks until they are slightly over-filled (if not enough is added to fill the crack, a divot will appear after sanding).
    9. Sand up to 2000 grit, carefully sanding the epoxy, as it will be much harder than the surrounding wood.
]]> Mon, 24 Aug 2009 23:35:16 GMT http://lumberjocks.com/Ancientwood/blog/10629 Ancientwood Ancientwood A GOOD CAUSE http://lumberjocks.com/Ancientwood/blog/10397 Ancientwood, Ltd. has been selected to supply a 7 foot Ancient Kauri table for ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition! This event is taking place in South Range, Wisconsin, August 3-10. Ancientwood is very excited to have this inspiring opportunity and are pleased to be able to contribute to this deserving family.

]]> Fri, 07 Aug 2009 17:19:48 GMT http://lumberjocks.com/Ancientwood/blog/10397 Ancientwood Ancientwood Ancient Buried Tree Provides the Largest Board in the U.S. http://lumberjocks.com/Ancientwood/blog/9809 Preserved for 50,000 years, one of the largest Ancient Kauri boards now resides in the U.S.

Ashland, WI—June 10, 2009—Ancientwood, Ltd., an importer and supplier of rare, ecologically harvested Ancient Kauri wood, has recently brought the largest board of ancient wood to the United States. This is one slab of wood measuring 40 feet long, 5 feet wide, and 4 1/2 inches thick! The Kauri tree this board came from took over 1,000 years to grow and has been buried underground for approximately 50,000 years.

40 Foot Table

Whether it becomes a table for dining or a boardroom (comfortably seating 50 people), a divider of a hotel lobby, or an installation in a Museum of Natural History, this is one fantastic piece of wood by anyone’s measure.

It is very rare to find such an exotic material made available through environmentally friendly methods. Ancient Kauri is an old growth timber, and not one tree was cut down to harvest it. Thousands of years ago these Kauri trees fell by natural forces, and are now being discovered just below the surface in farm fields and ranch lands. When a site is identified, permission is secured and expert operators of heavy equipment carefully expose and lift the logs out of their prehistoric setting.

Ancient Kauri is a unique material with an amazing beauty and intriguing history. This wood, commonly regarded as the oldest available in the world, is as workable as newly harvested wood. When a finish is applied the grain in the wood has a powerful shimmering iridescence, creating a 3-D effect that makes anything built from Ancient Kauri much like a precious gem. It is the perfect solution for unique, high-end projects that require an extraordinary material.

Ancient Kauri qualifies for LEED credits, and is being sought out by leading architects and designers for green building and design.

The Ancient Kauri trees are from the North Island of New Zealand and are not found in any other place on earth.

*Footage of the wood being removed from the ground in New Zealand is available upon request.

If you would like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with Robert Teisberg, please go to www.ancientwood.com

]]> Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:40:05 GMT http://lumberjocks.com/Ancientwood/blog/9809 Ancientwood Ancientwood