Burlwood is among the most valuable types of wood in the world, and for a good reason. Unlike most types of wood, burlwood doesn't come from a specific type of tree. It's a genetic mutation created by a bud that didn't grow properly .

Another factor that makes burlwood so valuable is that it functions similarly to a tumor. It does nothing for the tree and will probably even damage it, but it's also almost impossible to extract without killing the tree. For this reason, burlwood is usually harvested from dead trees.

If you can get burlwood, there are several Burlwood projects you can use it for. We'll discuss some of them in this article.

Bowls

It's important to note that burlwood usually doesn't occur in high concentrations. You'll occasionally hear stories of wood burls that are the size of cars. That does occasionally happen, but it's rare.

Burls tend to grow with the tree, so a particularly large burl often means a particularly old tree. Since most burls aren't very large, neither are most burlwood projects.

One common use of burlwood is to make bowls. Burlwood bowls are gorgeous and can kick your dinner parties up a notch. They have an exotic feeling that you just can't get from ceramic or glass bowls.

Tables

We've mentioned that wood burls don't often come in large sizes and that there were exceptions. When particularly large wood burls are available, they're often made into larger furniture pieces, like tables and chairs.

Many of the largest tree burls come from Redwood trees for a good reason. We've mentioned that larger burls are often found on older trees.

Trees have lifespans of various lengths depending on species, with many species living to be about fifty-100-years-old. Redwoods, however, often live 500 years or more; some are believed to be up to 2,000 years old.

When you're working with burlwood, and especially when you're working with larger pieces, there are some things you'll need to know, mainly that they're rare and few synthetic substitutes exist.

Decorations

Sometimes, the best thing you can do for burlwood is just to let it stand on its own. Burlwood is beautiful, and making a simple art piece out of it is enough to make your home stand out.

Using burlwood as art gives you many different options. For instance, many people make carvings from it, while others hang it on the wall like a painting.

People have also made several accent pieces out of burlwood, such as jewelry boxes and picture frames. You could even make yourself a set of burlwood coasters to add elegance to your coffee table.

Burlwood Projects

There are a ton of great burlwood projects you can do to decorate your home. We've talked about some possible projects in this article, but these projects are limited only by your imagination.

If you want to know more about us, feel free to look around our site. We can teach you a lot about woodworking in general and how to work with burlwood specifically.

Global Wood Source is a family-owned and operated lumber yard and mill specializing in exotic woods from around the world and rare domestics. We personally acquire and inspect each piece of log and timber obtained from forests and jungles worldwide.