GB2035159A - Decorating wood by blasting - Google Patents

Abstract

A wood panel board, post, beam or the like having a grain pattern on its surface is sand blasted in order to gouge out relatively soft material from between the lines of grain leaving the grain lines standing out in relief.

Description

SPECIFICATION Decorative wood panels and method of making the same The invention relates to a method of producing a decorative effect on wood surfaces and to wood panels, boards, posts, beams and the like presenting decorative surfaces.

The natural grain pattern presented by wood at the surface cut across the grain has long been used to give a decorative effect, and the grain pattern has often been emphasized by differentially staining the lines of grain and the intervening portions. In order further to emphasize the grain, it has been customary to make the surface as smooth as possible.

The present invention makes use of differences in resistance to abrasion between the lines of grain and the intervening portions to produce, as a new article of manufacture, a wood panel, board, post, beam or the like, hereinafter in this specification referred to for simplicity as a "board" presenting a grain pattern in relief.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a method of treating a wood surface presenting a grain pattern comprising spaced apart lines of grain, the method comprising directing a high-pressure stream of fluid containing abraded particles onto the surface whereby wood lying between the lines of grain is preferentially removed leaving the grain lines standing out in relief. Preferably the fluid is air and the abraded particles are of sand.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a wood board of which a surface presenting a grained pattern comprising spaced apart lines of grain have been treated by directing onto the surface a high pressure stream of fluid containing abradent particles whereby wood lying between the lines of grain has been removed leaving the grain lines standing out in relief.

The invention will be further described with reference to a particular operating conditions which are not, however, to be taken as limiting the scope of the invention. In the description reference will be made to the accompanying drawings of which Fig. 1 shows a board treated by the method in front elevation and Fig. 2 shows a section along lines ii-ii on Fig.

1.

A panel of seasoned wood is selected having a grain structure of pleasing appearance of which Fig. 1 is but an example. A stream of high pressure air containing said particles is brought to bear on the surface by means of a sand blasting gun. The nozzle pressure in a critical example is 80 to 100 p.s.i., but the pressure may be higher or lower according to the abrasion resistence of the wood. Again, in a typical example the uptake of sand by the gun is in the region of a quarter of a ton per hour, but more or less sand may be used as required. Fine silica sand is preferable but other abrasives may be used.

The best method of performing the invention appears to involve cavassing the sand blast gun along the lines of grain 1 and preferably inclining the gun to the particular angle which the grain makes with the surface.

The abradent action of the high velosity sand particles effects a rounding of the edge of the grain lines, but removes more of the softer wood between the lines of grain with the result that more or less deep channels 2 are formed between the more resistent ribs of grain.

The operation is performed over the whole of the panel or over such a proportion of its surface as is required to show the relief effect.

Normally, the gouging out of the softer wood will be discontinued before the wood panel is completely penetrated by the abraded stream, but for particular visual effect the softer wood may be wholly or substantially wholly removed from between the lines of grain over a portion of the panel, leaving the ribs of grain supported, for example, at the ends of the panel.

1. A method of treating a wood surface presenting a grain pattern comrpising spaced apart lines of grain, the method comprising directing a high-pressure stream of fluid containing abradant particles onto the surface whereby wood lying between the lines of grain is preferentially removed leaving the grain lines standing out in relief.

2. A method according to Claim 1 wherein the fluid is air and the abradant particles are of sand.

3. A wood board of which a surface presenting a grained pattern comprising spaced apart lines of grain has been treated by directing onto the surface a high pressure stream of fluid containing abradant particles whereby wood lying between the lines of grain has been removed leaving the grain lines standing out in relief.

4. A wood board according to Claim 3 wherein substantially all the wood lying between the lines of grain has been removed from between the lines of grain over a portion of the board.

5. A wood board of which a surface presenting a grained pattern col.1prising spaced apart lines of grain, treated substantially as described with reference to the drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (5)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Decorative wood panels and method of making the same The invention relates to a method of producing a decorative effect on wood surfaces and to wood panels, boards, posts, beams and the like presenting decorative surfaces. The natural grain pattern presented by wood at the surface cut across the grain has long been used to give a decorative effect, and the grain pattern has often been emphasized by differentially staining the lines of grain and the intervening portions. In order further to emphasize the grain, it has been customary to make the surface as smooth as possible. The present invention makes use of differences in resistance to abrasion between the lines of grain and the intervening portions to produce, as a new article of manufacture, a wood panel, board, post, beam or the like, hereinafter in this specification referred to for simplicity as a "board" presenting a grain pattern in relief. According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a method of treating a wood surface presenting a grain pattern comprising spaced apart lines of grain, the method comprising directing a high-pressure stream of fluid containing abraded particles onto the surface whereby wood lying between the lines of grain is preferentially removed leaving the grain lines standing out in relief. Preferably the fluid is air and the abraded particles are of sand. According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a wood board of which a surface presenting a grained pattern comprising spaced apart lines of grain have been treated by directing onto the surface a high pressure stream of fluid containing abradent particles whereby wood lying between the lines of grain has been removed leaving the grain lines standing out in relief. The invention will be further described with reference to a particular operating conditions which are not, however, to be taken as limiting the scope of the invention. In the description reference will be made to the accompanying drawings of which Fig. 1 shows a board treated by the method in front elevation and Fig. 2 shows a section along lines ii-ii on Fig. 1. A panel of seasoned wood is selected having a grain structure of pleasing appearance of which Fig. 1 is but an example. A stream of high pressure air containing said particles is brought to bear on the surface by means of a sand blasting gun. The nozzle pressure in a critical example is 80 to 100 p.s.i., but the pressure may be higher or lower according to the abrasion resistence of the wood. Again, in a typical example the uptake of sand by the gun is in the region of a quarter of a ton per hour, but more or less sand may be used as required. Fine silica sand is preferable but other abrasives may be used. The best method of performing the invention appears to involve cavassing the sand blast gun along the lines of grain 1 and preferably inclining the gun to the particular angle which the grain makes with the surface. The abradent action of the high velosity sand particles effects a rounding of the edge of the grain lines, but removes more of the softer wood between the lines of grain with the result that more or less deep channels 2 are formed between the more resistent ribs of grain. The operation is performed over the whole of the panel or over such a proportion of its surface as is required to show the relief effect. Normally, the gouging out of the softer wood will be discontinued before the wood panel is completely penetrated by the abraded stream, but for particular visual effect the softer wood may be wholly or substantially wholly removed from between the lines of grain over a portion of the panel, leaving the ribs of grain supported, for example, at the ends of the panel. CLAIMS

1. A method of treating a wood surface presenting a grain pattern comrpising spaced apart lines of grain, the method comprising directing a high-pressure stream of fluid containing abradant particles onto the surface whereby wood lying between the lines of grain is preferentially removed leaving the grain lines standing out in relief.

2. A method according to Claim 1 wherein the fluid is air and the abradant particles are of sand.

3. A wood board of which a surface presenting a grained pattern comprising spaced apart lines of grain has been treated by directing onto the surface a high pressure stream of fluid containing abradant particles whereby wood lying between the lines of grain has been removed leaving the grain lines standing out in relief.

4. A wood board according to Claim 3 wherein substantially all the wood lying between the lines of grain has been removed from between the lines of grain over a portion of the board.

5. A wood board of which a surface presenting a grained pattern col.1prising spaced apart lines of grain, treated substantially as described with reference to the drawings.