Clean Up Live Edge Wood

If you work across it you may gouge the surface and leave marks.

Clean up live edge wood.

The first thing to do is to begin sanding to a smooth touch using 120 grit paper. 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. 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. 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.

Scrape the fibers off with a nylon or wire brush. Work your way along the edge of the slab. There are lots of methods for removing bark and smoothing the edge including using a wire brush abrasive pads and balls and the good old disk sander. It won t come loose later scraping away that layer creates a slippery smooth edge with more rounded features.

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