I recently bought a 4x4 piece of whitewood to craft some wooden coasters to sell, but I found out the hard way that it's not the best wood for staining. I'm now considering burning the wood with a torch for a different finish. Is this a good idea, and how should I go about it? Thanks for your help!
3 Answers
When you mention whitewood, are you referring to the construction lumber found at places like Home Depot? That's usually what I've seen called whitewood, and it's probably not the best choice for coasters. I'd be cautious using it for coasters in the first place.
A good idea is to practice on a scrap piece first to see how it reacts to the torch. Whitewood often has high moisture content, which might affect how it burns. Burning it can create a really nice texture, but make sure you're using sandpaper no coarser than 150 for finishing after burning.
It is untreated wood, so I hope that helps.
You can definitely burn whitewood, but just be mindful that it can ignite really quickly, so always do it outside! Almost any wood will catch fire, so keep your torch moving and don’t let the flames linger too long.
Yeah, that's exactly what it is.