What Is Spalted Lumber

Although primarily found in dead trees spalting can also occur in living trees under stress.

What is spalted lumber.

Although spalting can cause weight loss and strength loss in the wood the unique coloration and patterns of spalted wood are sought by woodworkers. It s like the equivalent of finding truffles in the forest. You can say spalting refers to the process where fungi take color away from the wood adding dark or white layers. Spalting is any form of wood coloration caused by fungi.

When the fungus begins to grow withing the wood the process is referred to as spalting. This spalting mainly occurs on dead trees pieces of wood that were cut from their trunks and left lying around. Spalting is a common woodworking term used to describe the colorations and patterning created by the growth of fungus in wood. Spalted maple lumber turning wood hobby wood and instrument wood.

From spalted wood sara robinson spalting is a process that occurs on wood when fungi colonize the substrate and extract various nutrients. So in some sense it is fungi that create tattoos on the wood surface. Wood that is spalted is so sought after by woodworkers because it has such a distinct look with conflicting dark and light colors as well as black and brown lines running through the wood. Spalted wood is any wood that has begun to decay or rot as a result of a specific range of airborne fungus.

Our facility produces birdseye maple lumber curly maple tiger maple lumber and we stock over 70 species of exotic wood. Cate caruso the founder and principal of studio c first encountered spalted wood furniture at last year s field supply in upstate new york where a smooth expertly crafted spalted maple table. The unique patterns and coloration of the spalting process can add value to wood which otherwise might have a low value. Spalted wood is traditionally something that s been found by woodworkers rather than produced.

Spalted wood is the coloration and detailed dark lines that occur from fungal growth in wood commonly referred to as spalting. It is found in wood that has begun initial stages of decay and is then subsequently dried preventing further decay. Spalting is simply a fungal discoloration of wood and can be found on a wide range of wood species and genera.