How To Preserve Wood Slices For Wedding [Here Is What To Do]

Wood slices are beautiful decor for a wedding. And better yet, they’re not too expensive to buy either. And if you fancy yourself as a frugal carpenter, you’ll save further money still. But once you have them, how can you preserve and keep them in optimal condition ahead of the special day? Here is what you need to do.

So, how do you preserve wood slices for a wedding? To preserve wood slices, you will need to keep them in a cool, dry environment away from any heat and moisture sources. This will prevent the slices from cracking. You may want to consider applying a varnish or wood preserving product to help protect, enhance and bring out the woods features further. 

Wood slices make great centerpieces.

The problem is, they are susceptible to cracking. And it doesn’t take long.

Furthermore, there is a range of preservative products out there on the market. It can be hard to find the ones that will suit the kind of project.

Not ideal.

So, let us now take a closer look at how you can preserve these slices, step by step.

Preserving The Wood

To preserve the slices, first and foremost, you will need to consider where they are going to be kept. 

This is essential if you are looking to preserve the slices for any considerable amount of time – especially in the lead-up to the wedding.

It is a very good idea to keep the slices in a sealed and airtight container.

This is because wood is hygroscopic (it absorbs moisture from the air, even when cut).

And any humidity in the air will the wood to swell, only to shrink again when the temperature drops (like at night).

It is this routine swelling and shrinking that causes wood to crack.

And it is cracked wood you drastically want to avoid.

Otherwise, your wooden slices will not look so good as centerpieces!

So, we need to limit this swelling and shrinking, at least as much as possible.

And we can do that by ensuring we keep the container in a temperature-controlled location. 

Cool and dry. 

From there, it is strongly advised to add some preservative to the slices.

Many preservatives will change the color or stain the wood. This may not be an issue to you, or it could be a gamechanger.

Others may give off a glossy or shiny effect.

So, it’s important to seek out the right options.

Pentracryl is a tried and tested solution. It’s ideal for this kind of project.

Preservation Solutions have an ideal product, and they sell it for a great price over at Amazon.

This is exactly the kind of product you need to help preserve the wood.

It’s easy to apply and does a terrific job of sealing out moisture.

You just need to soak the slabs in the solution, and they need to be completely covered and soaked.

You can pour this treatment into a tray which makes the whole process easier too.

Then it’s just a matter of drying.

And again, this particular product is known to dry faster than other options.

Nevertheless, preserving the wood with a good treatment option is going to prevent the slices from cracking and make them much more robust in time for the wedding.

Are There Any Risks To Preserving Wood Slices?

If you decide to use a treatment, then the biggest potential risk is a change to the color and appearance of the slices.

Not all products will change how your slices look, but others can have a shining effect or cause discoloration.

This may or may not be an issue for you.

However, part of the allure of wooden slices is their natural look.

So, if you do not want to alter the wood’s visual appearance drastically, it’s essential that you only use specific preservative products.

This is why Pentracryl comes recommended.

It doesn’t.

And at this stage, you need to be mindful that you could be working with chemicals.

Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions in regards to usage.

How much to use, when, and any instructions you will need to follow (such as wearing gloves, how to remove it from any surfaces it accidentally lands on, etc.).

Besides, you do not want to harm yourself nor damage any furniture or areas of your home when applying preservatives.

Some products will naturally be harsher than others.

Preserving Slices Tips and Suggestions

Let us now consider some other tips, suggestions, and strategies to ensure your wood slices look as best they can come the special day:

• Consider the type of wood the slices are made from. Some wood species will crack more easily than others,
• Consider where you are sourcing the slices; some manufacturers will season their wood, others will use kilns, and others will let it dry naturally. These can all have an effect on how likely wood is to crack or damage.
• You can test wood to see if it has already been treated, apply a minimal amount of water on a corner of the wood/slice. If this area goes darker, it will not have been treated.
• The later the wood slices are cut, the better. Try to buy as late as you possibly can, and ensure the wood slices have not been left hanging around for too long.
• The thicker the slices, the better; this will help prevent cracking. Look for, or aim to create 1.5-2″ slices,
• Store slices on the bark side; this will help to protect the appearance of the surface,
• When adding a preserver, consider the effect it will give, along with the properties it can offer.

Finally

Wood slices are ideal centerpieces.

But they are not the easiest to look after and preserve.

You really do need to consider where you store them and how long for.

At the same time, half of the battle is where you buy them from, to begin with.

Thankfully, there are a number of suitable and cost-effective preservatives on the market that you can use to quickly and effectively protect them ahead of the big day!

For me, it’s hard to choose anything else other than Pentracryl by Preservation Solutions.