How to fix_very narrow crack in acacia wood?
mbca
| Posted in General Discussion on
Hi – 1st post, hope i’ve got the etiquette right…
I’m attaching a photo of a crack in an acacia wood bed frame leg. As you can see, it’s very narrow; i’m interested in doing something to keep the crack from widening and preventing any further damage.
I’m a total noob at this stuff. The internet suggests that forcing some strong wood glue into the crack is the way to go, but the crack is very narrow.
Anyone know the best way to work with wood glue in narrow cracks, or have another suggestion to deal with this?
Replies
This crack has occurred because of drying of the post. Most woods (except for walnut and a few others) shrink more around the circumference of the center of the log than they do from the middle to the outside (tangential vs radial.) So one or more cracks form when the center of the tree is in the middle of the post, as in your picture. This crack will open more or close up some if the post loses or gains more moisture from the air.
If the bed was made fairly recently, the post could still lose more moisture, causing the crack to widen (regardless of what you do to try to fix it.) If the bed has been built for quite a while, the post may have arrived at a fairly stable level of moisture, in which case you could try to fill the crack, tho it is unlikely that your repair would be perfect for a long while.
If I were to attempt a "repair", I would use epoxy and a dark sanding dust, such as from walnut. I would mix the epoxy, add the dust to get a thicker product, and force it into the crack with a putty knife or spatula. You may have to do it twice as it may move farther into the crack or be absorbed into the sides of the crack as it cures. Wipe off any excess on the face of the post. Acetone can clean up cured epoxy, but be sure to check it on a hidden finished part of the bed to make sure it doesn't attack the existing finish before using it on any traces of epoxy.
Epoxy sure ,maybe-- Before attempting glue try to clamp it tight to see if you can get the gap to close. If it doesn't close then your filling and epoxy would be a good fix. If it does close tight then I'd probably use Titebond myself. Release the clamps of course. I would use a syringe to force the glue into the crack and I find that dental floss can be helpful for dragging glue into tight places. A paint store should have a suitable syringe. If no syringe I find that a very flexible putty knife (or what I use is a palette knife) is pretty effective for forcing glue into cracks. Clamp it tight and if you get good squeeze out you should be good to go..
great - thx for the help, you guys!