How to Make Small Wood Slices for Coasters

In August, we made wood slices for the coasters for our wedding, and I did not get the chance to make the post until now. It is very easy to do, and you can use different tools to cut the wood slices, it all depends on your preference and the type of tools you own.

Tools we used:

• Miter Saw or Reciprocating Saw - either one will work, the miter saw is much faster.
• Gloves
• Saftey Glasses
• Sand Paper
• Stain
• Paint Brush
• Plastic Drop Cloth

First we went into the woods to find a dried out branch or tree to use that was the thickness that we were looking for. We were able to find two trees that had some good parts to use. Dried wood is better to use than fresh because it will not warp as easily. The difference is the bark is much more likely to be gone or fall off, and you are more likely to have rot. But you will not have to chop a tree down to do this. I like using fallen trees because it recycles the tree!

We started trying to use a reciprocating saw. It works, but it takes longer to use. We were able to get thin slices for this method, so if you don't have a miter saw, or are not comfortable using one, this is a good alternative. You could also probably use a band saw.

The cheapest tool to buy out of the three if you don't have any of these tools would be the reciprocating saw, then the miter saw, with the band saw being the most costly. You can use either to get the same product.

First we tried using the reciprocating saw. I held the tree while Justin cut. It vibrated way too much and took too long so we decided on the miter saw method. Which also worked but resulted in thicker slices. Partially because Justin's dad didn't know how thin we actually wanted them. It does add a more rustic feel to them having them be thicker and different sizes.

 

With the miter saw we had to twist the log to get it to cut all around because the saw blade was too small. If you use a larger one you probably won't have to twist the log. This way we got a lot done in a very short amount of time. Within 30 minutes we had plenty cut.

Next, we let them dry out some for the week. It is important that you do not stack them on one another, they will mold if they are still damp and you stack them. We set them out on their sides in his grandmother's basement next to the oil furnace. This let them dry out for a week until the next weekend when we sanded and treated them. 

The next step we took was sanding. I forgot to get pictures of us sanding but it is pretty easy. You can either use an electric or air tool wood sander, or sand them by hand. We sanded ours by hand because they didn't need much sanding. Just the edges and some rough spots and they were done in no time. How much you sand is completely up to you. This can even be your last step if you don't want to treat them with anything. We wanted to treat them to preserve them better.

We used Minwax wood finish and paint brushes to treat the wood and let them dry on the plastic for some time outside in the sun. If you aren't getting rain I would suggest this or do it in a workshop where you don't mind the fumes, they will have that fume smell for a few weeks! So if you want to stain yours I suggest doing this a few months before your event.

They ended up drying all different shades and I really like the way they came out. This was a fun simple project that was very affordable. Below is the finished project.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Thank you for reading.