Greenwood vs dry wood for carving explained

As a beginner, you may feel the urge to explore found wood. Found wood is fantastic because it is free the downside is it ain’t seasoned either.

If you have been carving dry wood you may wonder if green wood can still be carved and what are the differences between the two?

The short answer: There are some discrepancies when considering dry wood vs green wood for carving. For starters, the greenwood is less stable and therefore requires special care while being carved.

Of course, this is not the only difference.

Let’s take a look at some of the primary differences between carving with green wood and carving with dry wood, so you can make the best decision and ultimately right practice.

Greenwood vs dry wood for carving

Greenwood here refers to wet wood. Wet wood is unseasoned wood that has a high moisture content, yet to achieve EMC. On the other hand, dry wood refers to seasoned wood. Your blocks for whittling bought on amazon are seasoned.

What is greenwood carving?

Greenwood carving is a carving technique in its own right. This technique involves carving an entire project with green unseasoned wood.

This craft is closely related to green woodworking which also implies the use of wet lumber in its projects. Note that greenwood workers are highly informed on wood movement and can make adjustments to their designs hence it’s not a big inconvenience sometimes it’s even an advantage.

Wood is an unstable material and to work on it will green require a great deal of understanding of wood.

Wood seasoning is the process of drying wood to stabilize it. This is important due to the structure and builds between the growth rings. The structure is such that if the wood loses moisture too quickly internal stresses make the softer fibers crash hence the wood shrinking or splitting.

If greenwood is so unstable can it be carved?

Can you carve greenwood?

So if you have some greenwood at your disposal, is it a waste to carve it while green?

Carving green wood is possible. as a matter of fact, Whittling hardwood with a tough Janka rating is made possible by carving green.

But this comes at a cost. There is a high chance of the wood carving developing splits. This can be mitigated with a few tricks and tips explained below.

 How is green wood different than dry wood?

Both green and dry wood can be carved, but there are some distinct differences.

• For one, carving dry wood requires more planning. The cuts you make have to go all the way through or else they’ll just snap off.
• With green wood, you have a little more leeway. You can cut into it for depth before making your final cuts, so you don’t have to take so many passes with your knife. This reduces chipping and tearing on your project. It also means that you may not need a fine tool as you would with dry wood.

Sharp tools are vital

As we discussed above, carving green wood is very different than carving dry wood.

• A detail blade might not give as crisp of an edge as some other knives might do—this will help protect those delicate fibers from snapping off at their ends—and you may even want to consider hand tools like gouges or skewers.
• If you’re going for a rougher look, then a small rasp can really be a boon when it comes to getting in-depth cuts with a lot of control. This is especially true for a beginner who hasn’t yet mastered control over his cuts with a knife.

Bevel angle when carving greenwood

The bevel angle is something to consider while carving greenwood. Since the wood is soft a good practice is to use a lower bevel angle that accommodates a very sharp cutting edge. Be careful when carving green apart from stropping your edge regularly ensure you clean dry after use to avoid damage from rust, especially for low-quality blades.

How do I carve dry wood?

While softer woods are simpler to work with during their initial stages, harder species typically require curing before they can be used in a real carving. As a result, experienced carvers usually prefer carved pieces made from hardwoods because these offer far more detail and often include unique grains that add visual depth to a piece.

How to prepare Drywood carving for finishing

There are many ways to prepare dried wood for finishing including:

• kiln-drying,
• steam treatment,
• air drying, or burning.

When you buy timber intended for carving make sure there is no moisture left inside it – particularly important for high-quality expensive woods like mahogany – otherwise warping may occur later due to changes in temperature/humidity which could spoil your finished product.

Some types of wood need little preparation at all. Once you begin working with bark on boards, however, stick with heartier roots like olive, tanoak, and tupelo; these don’t crumble easily even when cold. However, keep in mind that any type of wood needs to be properly seasoned before being worked on a project.

The easiest way to tell if the wood has properly cured is by simply holding it in your hand. Milled wood sold in craft stores is ideal since you’ll know you aren’t buying something that hasn’t been properly aged. Also, avoid unprocessed or green woods altogether unless you feel confident in dealing with them immediately. Otherwise, simply wait until your logs are cured and ready to go before starting a new project.

Check the best wood for carving

What tools should I use on Drywood?

A dry wood carving requires only a few basic carving tools that you can find at your local art store. There is nothing more than a set of chisels, gouges, and sandpaper. For more intricate carvings, you will need to purchase some detail knives or power tools.

You may also want to invest in an electric palm sander if you want to work with dry wood jewelry making. Electric palm sanders work very well for smoothing out your woodblock before you carve into it. Always protect your hands by wearing safety gloves when working with chisels or other sharp cutting tools.

Pros and cons of dry wood

Both green and dry wood are great for carving. There are some advantages to working with each type of wood, however.

Pros of  dry wood

• Dry wood is less likely to splinter, which means it’s easier to work with for beginners.
• It’s also more stable, so your carvings will last longer than they would on greenwood—just make sure you store them out of direct sunlight!
• Dry wood works well with wood finish

Cons of dry wood for carving

• Drying takes time; you may have to pause on starting a project just to wait for the wood to dry
• carving dry wood is hard. Some woods are too hard and once seasoned they may be too slow to carve
• working with dry wood requires care: Using too much force while cutting or carving can splinter dried-out material and could damage fine tools

To avoid these potential pitfalls, study the grain direction that helps a lot. Keep your edged tools sharp and keen this is a bonus tip for both conditions of wood when carving.

What can I carve greenwood?

If you’re a beginner at wood carving, greenwood is probably your best bet. It’s easier to work with and generally won’t take as long as carving hardwood would. This means you can make your first carvings much sooner than if you had chosen dry wood.

You can even carve softwoods like balsa without any pre-drying. You should be able to use rasps, files, and other tools on them just fine, but it’s worth noting that they’ll wear down faster than you might expect (especially rasps). For example, 30 minutes of filing might smooth out an inch of softwood; you should plan accordingly!

Greenwood also bends nicely; learning how to make curves or arc cuttings is easier when using fresh sticks. Keep in mind that not all trees will hold up to wet conditions over time. Softer varieties such as cottonwood, pine, and spruce are perfectly acceptable for beginners who want to experiment with woodcarving. But oak, maple, and ash are better choices for your first few projects since they tend to stay rigid after drying. Your local lumberyard will have many different kinds of lumber available, so take some time to look around before choosing your project.

Pros and Cons of Carving Green Wood

Although it may be good to go with green wood at first glance, there are some cons and pros when choosing which type of wood to use for your project.

Pros of greenwood

• If you are looking for a more rustic look for your project, it is highly recommended to use greenwood.
• There is also less risk of warping or cracking with green wood which can make projects safer to use.
• Greenwood can be hard to work with because of wetness; once it is dried out, it will become easier to shape and carve.
•  Its water content actually makes it easier to shape into objects by hand—if you can see what you are doing! That’s why experienced carvers often recommend newbies practice their skills on green logs rather than dry ones.
• It’s relatively easy to work with green logs even though they contain water. As long as portions stay moist during shaping, splits will remain minor if they develop at all.
• And, unlike dry wood, you won’t need to bother with treating or sealing them to protect against rot

Cons of greenwood

• One big downside about working with green wood is that oftentimes you will need to wait until your piece dries out before finishing it; doing so will require patients if you have deadlines by which you must complete your project.
• it doesn’t always take finishes very well depending on what kind of finish you would like to apply.
• Staining sometimes comes out blotchy on greenwood compared to finished wood where staining looks much smoother.
• On top of all of these things, there is even a difference in price between dry wood and greenwood. Most people buy dry wood because it is usually cheaper than green material. This means you get a better bang for your buck because money isn’t wasted on buying unusable materials that can not be used due to being too damp.
• Many beginners will shy away from carving green wood due to its lack of defined edges and varying textures

Greenwood vs dry wood: A summary

When looking at greenwood vs dry wood, there is a clear discrepancy with green wood it’s generally good to prepare for splits. The tips above should help you carve greenwood without the fear of splits. Whether carving green wood or dry wood always ensure your carving tools are sharp and keen.

If you want to learn more about seasoning your greenwood at home, check out this resource.