How stable is bark edge

All I can say is if you could see inside and under some of my projects, a bit of bark edge shows up once in a while. I just finish it like the rest, or maybe a bit heavier coat if it sucks it up. I would not trust it structurally, but hidden and non-structural, I let it slide. I may not be the most experienced and I LIKE older mision and rustic styles and feel it adds some character to the piece.

-- HorizontalMike -- "Woodpeckers understand..."

It depends a lot on the species, the amount of expansion/contraction it’s going to experience, the shape of the outer wood connected to the bark, and the cut of the wood.

I’ve had bark that I had to essentially chisel off after drying and some that just fell off from the same log. Personally, I really don’t trust it to stay on all that much. But, if dried and cut properly and finished properly, it can stay on there for a long time.

-- "Well, at least we can still use it as firewood... maybe." - Doss

I typically grab it and see if I can pull it off with my hands. If I can, it won’t stay, if I can’t I think I can leave it. It hasn’t failed me yet.

-- There is nothing like the sound of a well tuned hand plane. - http://timetestedtools.wordpress.com (timetestedtools at hotmail dot c0m)

All good common sence advise. Thanks guys. I did pull on it and it is well stuck. I did see that it has very little structural strength and will use it accordingly.

I think it is cool looking and I can incorporate it into some projects for a neat look. I will have to play with finishing it.

-- Mike, Cantral Oregon

Bark is tightest and the most stable on a board if the tree was cut in the dormant season (winter here in Georgia). It is the least stable in the spring when the cambium becomes active, and can actually be very easy to peel off a green log. The old-timers said that, “Bark slips in the Spring”. So, if you want the bark or live edge with bark on a board, the tree that the wood comes from should be harvested in the dead of winter.

-- Wood-Mizer LT15