Clean Up Live Edge Wood

Begin by removing a 6 8 section of bark starting at an end.

Clean up live edge wood. Scrape the fibers off with a nylon or wire brush. The cambium layer the fibrous glue that connects the bark to the wood can add depth and character to the edge if you leave it. Below we have a couple of links that. The first thing to do is to begin sanding to a smooth touch using 120 grit paper.

In this video we will walk you through the process we went through in order to clean up the live edge on our reclaimed wood countertop for our rv bathroom. I ve talked with a few wood turners that specialize in live edge work and all seem to agree that the bark will come off at some point no matter what you do. If you work across it you may gouge the surface and leave marks. It won t come loose later scraping away that layer creates a slippery smooth edge with more rounded features.

Now if you re planning on finishing your wood with something other than a clear coat apply some of that finish to the side that won t be visible.