However, Balsa, despite being classed as a hardwood, in fact has a soft loose grain. 2 – It Catches Fire EasilyĬontrary to popular opinion, not all woods burn easily.įor example hardwoods are less flammable than softwoods due to the denser wood grain of hardwood timber.

What with the rain and damp of the outdoors, you need to ask yourself, is Balsa wood water resistant? Balsa is not waterproof, and even treating the wood with a water sealant won’t be enough to prevent it from soaking all that water up like a sponge – causing it to expand and warp. If you are thinking of using Balsa wood to create an outdoor piece, you might want to think again. Click here to learn more: Why Is Walnut Wood So Expensive? What Are The Disadvantages Of Balsa Wood? 1 – It Is Not Water Proof The price of wood has been rising in recent years, and there are some very good reasons as to why. The price of Balsa wood comes down to the thickness of the sheet.Ī single square foot 1-ply sheet of 5/16” of an inch is around $6.īut a 1-ply sheet at 3/16” can clock in at a pricey $10 per square foot.īut lets compare that price to Basswood (often touted as a wood carvers quick alternative to Balsa wood).Ī 13/16” thick board foot of Basswood is priced around $4 to $5 per foot. Related Post: Can You Put Polyurethane On Balsa Wood? | The Woodwork Place How Expensive Is Balsa Wood? Not sure what Wood Conditioner to get? We highly recommend Varathane Premium Wood Conditioner for almost any pre-staining job.Ĭheck out the latest prices for this wood conditioner by visiting Amazon. Once done, your Balsa wood project will be ready for an application of any oil-based stain. Wood Conditioner is specifically designed to prevent uneven patchy staining on soft porous woods just like Balsa.Īpply a coat of wood conditioner, let it soak into the wood for a good 15 minutes, and then wipe off any excess liquid. If you plan on staining your balsa wood project, then you should probably prepare the wood first by applying a pre-staining finish of Wood Conditioner. Yes, you can stain Balsa wood, but the loose fiber texture of this hardwood means that the stain job will end up looking blotchy. However, if you are looking to carve chips off a small block of Balsa, then a good whittling tool should be suitable enough. Are you cutting through a thick block of Balsa wood? If it is the case that you are cutting through anything more than say a quarter of an inch of Balsa, then using a hand saw will be your best option. Top 5 Woodworking Projects That Sell What Is The Best Tool To Cut Balsa Wood With? Related Post: Can You Really Drill Into Balsa Wood? | The Woodwork Place These cutting machines are specifically design to carve their way through a range of different materials, from wood and vinyl, to fabric and leather.īut just because you can use a Cricut, doesn’t mean it is the best choice when deciding on which tools you should use to carve with. Related Post: Can You Stain Balsa Wood? (Best Practice Revealed!) | Can Cricut Cut Balsa Wood?Ī Cricut Maker can cut through Balsa wood very easily. It may be an easy carving wood, however, you will still need to make sure you use a sharp enough carving tool. And any decent whittling tool will make quick work of it, even when cutting into the grain.īut don’t let Balsas low-density fool you.

So while you can carve easily in to the wood, getting those more intricate detailed designs could prove to be a little bit tricky. Its also ideal for wood carving beginners.Īnd, despite being a relative lightweight in the world of hardwoods, Balsa is surprisingly high-strength pound for pound. Related Posts: Is Balsa Wood Good For Whittling?īalsa wood has always been a popular choice for making scale-models, such as replica miniature buildings.

Balsa wood blocks for carving