Twigs, Poles, and Logs

Tips for Maintenance

For a consistently warm and authentic look throughout your residential or commercial space, consider using Highland Craftsmen’s® extensive selection of twigs, poles and logs to create truly unique architectural accents.

Highland Craftsmen has taken all of the guess work out of product selection. Tell us how you want to use the material, what color and texture you need and we will identify your options. We can also heat sterilize interior items so you don’t have to worry about insect infestations.

Twigs have a diameter under 2”. They can be cut to length and used in countless ways including cabinetry, handrails, light fixtures, and for mirror and picture frame facings or furniture. Twigs typically come in bundles of 10 pieces each.

Poles have rather smooth bark and add character by leaving the bark intact. However, they are also available with the bark removed. They are 3” to 8” in diameter. For many applications we split them in half lengthwise, a delicate operation, so they can be cut to length and used as rustic window and door trim.

Rugged bark-on or bark-off Logs can be used indoors or outdoors as beams and support posts, for roofs on balconies and porches, and in the garden for footbridges and gazebos. Diameters are 9” and up. Please note that longer logs will taper.

The species include, but are not limited to:

Black Locust
Hickory
Mountain Laurel
Red or Silver Maple
Rhododendron
White Birch
Willow
Yellow Birch
Yellow Poplar

Tips for Maintaining Bark Intact Twigs, Poles and Logs

Use HC® winter-cut material.

Minimize direct exposure to the elements. This material performs much better under porches and eves.
An annual treatment of wood preservative will greatly extend the life of the bark. For material large enough in size to do so, we recommend nailing the bark on the top of the ridges, in a random pattern and all around the entire trunk.

Use a HC bracket or one of your own designs to elevate all exterior posts, whether structural or decorative. This avoids direct ground contact that can lead to water wicking into the fibers and subsequent post deterioration. Prior to bracket installation it is important to apply a sealant to the butt end or end grain of the wood to further protect from that process. Anything from a water-based sealant to an exterior varnish will suffice.
We have seen bark intact logs keep their bark for 100 years, when under covered areas. We have also seen bark intact material lose its bark after only one year when left uncovered. If exposed bark intact material does begin to shed, this ragged appearance should be accepted as its natural rustic progression to the eventual peeled look.

HC obviously does not guarantee that the bark will stay on the material but these tips will greatly increase the chances of the bark staying on.

What Causes Bark to Separate from the Tree?

During the warm summer months, there is an infusion of water into the bark of a tree causing the bark cells to swell. When a tree is cut in the summer, the water in the cells of the tree will dry up. The water in the sapwood of the tree and the water in the bark of the tree decrease at different rates. The bark tends to dry faster than the sapwood, causing the bark cylinder to shrink and crack. When this happens, it will potentially separate from around the sapwood. During the freezing months of winter, little or no water rises into the inner bark. When a tree is cut in the winter, and the sapwood and inner bark dries, there isn’t much difference in the rates of shrinkage. It is less likely that the bark will crack open and peel away from the tree.

No matter what the season, any log or post left in its natural state will potentially check or crack from the heartwood to the surface. As the wood cracks open and expands the bark can crack and separate from the tree.