Custom Live Edge FAQ
It’s about time I do a custom live edge FAQ video and blog post so that CNCROi.com‘s customers know what they are ordering and the positives and negatives involved with using live edge lumber over other materials for projects.
Custom Live Edge FAQ: How do you get live edge wood?
CNCROi.com can either source the live edge ourselves on your behalf or you can find it yourself and ship to us but due to the weight and sizes of some of this live edge wood, 9 times out of 10, it’s best for us to source then ship to you directly.
Live edge is available at specialty lumber stores though I am starting to see some of it appear at big box stores like Home Depot but for ultimate selection, nothing beats a specialty live edge retailer where the species, sizing and type can be more precisely located based on your project needs.
Custom Live Edge FAQ: Does it need to be kiln dried?
No, but it depends on what kind of timelines you are looking at, there is such a thing as “air dry” where basically, a tree is cut and the slabs are left in a shed or outdoors in the elements over several years to dry.
The biggest issue with air drying is that it can take years depending on the slab while kiln drying can take a few weeks or months depending on the species and thickness.
The additional advantage of kiln drying is that it kills any bugs that can be present in the wood.
Live edge can be transformed to be used for a variety of purposes, from serving trays and cutting boards to furniture of any size and type.
Custom Live Edge FAQ: Round slices or parallel slabs?
It really depends on what you are after, live edge comes from live organisms (trees) and as such, there is a MASSIVE diversity of offerings once they are felt and cut to different sizing.
For smaller items, if you want something roundish, the best choice is to generally go with round slices because you’ll have the bark all around which adds to the character of the wood while for tables, generally parallel slabs are best due to their larger size.
Keep in mind that round slices can be had (though very expensive) that can easily be transformed into a very large table just as easily as smaller parallel slabs made-up into very small tables.
Custom Live Edge FAQ: Does it need to be debarked?
No, it’s up to you, generally the wood we source has the bark still on there but if you want it removed for signage or other uses, CNCROi.com can do that for you, it’s more of an esthetic preference than anything else as it provides no additional stability or strength to the wood.
Custom Live Edge FAQ: How thick of live edge wood?
How much money do you have? Generally slabs are a few inches thick, some are less than half an inch, others are way thicker such as entire trees but the thicker the live edge slab you want, the more expensive it will be not just machining wise but also transport and set-up.
Here’s another FAQ regarding using real wood for custom projects.
Custom Live Edge FAQ: Can live edge be according to specific specs?
Yes and no, keep in mind that the more specific your request is, dimensions, wood species, thickness, general shape, diameter etc. the more it will cost.
Live edge came from a living organism, as such, there is a lot of diversity when it comes to “options” but as soon as you start narrowing them down, it’s like trying to find a needle in a haystack and as such, you’ll pay CNCROi.com to find that needle.
Custom Live Edge FAQ: Why do you resurface live edge?
Although not required, resurfacing the live edge, whether it’s a plank or a round, makes it FLAT.
For some applications, this isn’t really a requirement for things like tables and chairs, unless you like having glasses tip over and breaking dishes due to uneven surface qualities, I’d suggest you get CNCROi.com to resurface the live edge, even if it’s just for a wooden live edge corporate plaque.
The advantage of resurfacing live edge goes further than flatness though, it also cleans-up the surface, revealing the wonderful grain found naturally in the growth rings of the tree.
Live edge is a wonderful material for custom memorial and corporate plaques where as little or as much wording can be laser engraved onto it after CNCROi.com flattens it.
Custom Live Edge FAQ: Can you resurface to a specific thickness?
Absolutely, CNCROi.com can resurface to whatever thickness you want, but do keep in mind that one of the reasons for the resurfacing is to make the live edge parallel and flat on both sides, as such, some wood may require more resurfacing than others.
Custom Live Edge FAQ: Are there bugs in live edge?
If the live edge is straight from a tree you found in the forest that you sliced-up, the most likely answer is probably yes but if it’s been kiln dried or air dried over several years, the most likely answer will be no if it had proper aeration and not left on the ground.
Bugs like live trees and trees that are rotting, not trees that are dry, unless you have termites in the area.
Custom Live Edge FAQ: Does live edge crack?
Sometimes yes, sometimes no, even if it’s been properly kiln dried, there are sometimes natural pressures and stress points in the wood that can reveal themselves over time, there really is no way to predict this but that’s why you are using live edge for a project and not cardboard right?
One thing to keep in mind is that CNCROi.com is flattening the board THROUGH these issues, not trying to force the wood into another position using heat or flexing to make something flat, as such, the stress is released and not forced into another position using our CNC router.
Each wood species has their own texture, color and knot distribution as well as density.
Custom Live Edge FAQ: How flat can live edge get?
Totally flat, by flattening the live edge using our industrial CNC router, both sides are totally flat if you seal it thereafter, will remain so even through environmental changes like humidity swings.
Let’s say we flatten some live edge to be 1″ thickness, after our process, it will be exactly 1″ no matter where on the slab you measure the thickness.
Custom Live Edge FAQ: Why is live edge so expensive?
Years ago, live edge was literally used to keep houses warm or just burned in open pits, but now people have come to appreciate the natural beauty of unfinished real wood over lumber choices and as such, a market full of demand has opened-up.
The more popular live edge is, the more expensive it will get, it’s simply a supply and demand situation like anything else in life.
Custom Live Edge FAQ: Does live edge need to be professionally cut?
No, if you want to cut and dry some live edge boards in your garage over a few years then bring it to CNCROi.com to have it flattened and turned into a table, it doesn’t matter how it was cut using a chainsaw or bandsaw, it will flatten the same way as any other board we work with in the shop.
Your design options are endless, any font, any size, any vector image, mix and match however you wish for your own custom live edge project!
Custom Live Edge FAQ: Can there be metal in a live edge slab?
YES! Our machines do not like metal, it can chip or break a bit which becomes a projectile that’s faster than a speeding train in the shop.
As such, if I have any doubt, I grab a metal detector at CNCROi.com and run it through the board to make sure we aren’t creating shrapnel.
If you want metal elements added to the live edge on purpose, we can do that too.
Custom Live Edge FAQ: Can you make matching accessories?
If by accessories you mean table legs, cigar ash trays, cutting boards etc. then the answer is absolutely yes!
CNCROi.com has a full metal and wood shop, beyond just CNC machines, so this incredible flexibility means we can make custom items to go along with your live edge projects.
Custom Live Edge FAQ: How long does live edge take to make…
It’s more a question of what you want and what your specs are, if you want CNCROi.com to make you a solid black Walnut table that’s 20 ft long and 5 ft wide, it will take longer to source and machine flat etc. than Pine that’s 4 ft long by 2 ft wide.
It’s always good to give us a range of what you are looking for, then we can find that perfect piece for the project at hand, generally sourcing live edge just takes a few days or if you wish, you can find your own piece at a specialty lumber mill and send that to us to work from.
Walnut, Oak, Pine, Ash… whatever species you want your live edge to be, CNCROi.com can source and get it made for you.
Custom Live Edge FAQ: What causes those tracks you see in the above and below picture when you surface the wood?
It’s basically the bit going at high-speed through the wood at a different angle across wood grain, it’s the same effect you see when you cut your lawn, the lawn is cut all to the same length but you can still see alternating patterns on the grass surface after you’ve cut it.
Custom Live Edge FAQ: I’m in a rush, can you still produce something out of live edge for us?
It depends on how much of a rush and what you want made, along with your specs.
The more flexible your specs, the faster CNCROi.com can get something made for you, but here’s a rough timeline of how long things take to “get” generally.
- 1-5 days for the live edge
- 1-2 days to surface flat
- 1-3 days to carve or laser engrave
- 1-14 days to finish depending on how many layers of varnish are required
- 1-2 days to pack depending on the size
- 7-10 days to arrive via freight or the post man (size depending)
Custom Live Edge FAQ: How do I proceed?
Easy, contact CNCROi.com and we’ll get the ball rolling, be sure to include the budget, how many units, rough sizing and timeline.