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How to Stabilize Wood

In-Depth Guide on How to Stabilize all kinds of Wood
Prep Time30 minutes
Active Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes

Materials

  • Thoroughly dried wood
  • Vacuum pump
  • Vacuum chamber
  • Aluminum foil
  • Stabilizing Resin
  • Baking oven
  • Thermometer
  • Dye or a coloring agent

Instructions

  • Have all the necessary utensils within easy reach. Now you can load the vacuum chamber.
  • The blanks to be stabilized are now placed in the vacuum chamber. It is essential that the stabilizing liquid can reach the blanks from all sides without hindrance; this means that they must not prevent the stabilizing liquid from penetrating. Therefore, make sure that there is an appropriate distance between the blanks.
  • Now the blanks are first weighted down to prevent them from floating up during the stabilization process. For this purpose, you can either use a large-mesh grid weighted with weights or an anti-float mat, which you can screw to the wall of the vacuum tank.
  • You can now fill in the resin. The blanks must always be covered with the stabilizing medium used. During the stabilization process, the blanks naturally absorb resin, and the resin level drops slightly. This must be taken into account. In any case, put enough resin into the vacuum chamber; it should cover the blanks up to 15 mm high.
  • The chamber is now closed. The evacuation process can begin. As the air contained in the blanks escapes, you will notice that the stabilizing medium begins to “boil.” Take care that the resin does not overfoam and run off. If you are unsure about this step, let the air escape slowly and gradually at first.
  • Once the air has completely escaped from the blanks and they have absorbed the resin, the process is complete.
  • The blanks are now wrapped in aluminum foil. Use a single piece for each of them. Make sure that the aluminum foil is wrapped very tightly and that the matt side faces outwards.
  • The oven is now preheated to a temperature of 71° to 93° Celsius. Use the oven thermometer to measure the temperature accurately. Once the appropriate temperature has been reached, the blanks are placed in the oven and remain there for a minimum of 60 and a maximum of 90 minutes.
  • When this process is finished, you can remove the blanks with the help of protective gloves and remove the aluminum foil. If the foil does not come off easily, carefully help with a knife or other sharp object.