Wood for Carving

Using wood for carving sculptures

Many types of wood are used for sculpture carving. Each has a particular characteristic that the sculptor would use to achieve an attractive effect.

Lime or Basswood as it’s sometimes known, is often used for complex work as it is a wood that takes detail carving well. Lime doesn’t have any obvious grain and so any fine detail in the carving is not overshadowed by the pattern of the grain.

For simple stylised shapes and forms, more exotic woods are used that generally have a broad grain. Woods such as Camphor Laurel or Butternut also known as White Walnut are sometimes used for stylised carvings because of their very decorative grain.

Walnut sometimes known as Black Walnut is an interesting wood and is quite often used for the carving of gunstocks. It has dark brown heartwood and the sapwood is usually a tan colour.

Mahogany has a distinct red colour. This can be used to great effect and the wood will eventually darken with age, giving the carving even more character. It’s a strong wood that can be used for carvings that have thin sections, without the fear of them breaking.

Laminated hardwoods are becoming popular amongst some modern sculptors. Wood such as Birchwood is glued in sheets to produce plywood that is very strong and can be made into any size blocks. This process also creates interesting grain and when sanded to a fine finish, oiled and waxed, it gives a lustrous sheen.