<p>I bought this wood carving (see below) several years ago from a vintage/antique housewares and decor store. At least one of the cracks predates my purchase, but I don't think all of them do.<br />
Additionally, it just feels like aging, unfinished wood (light in weight, rough texture, losing color, etc.; oddly enough the images below make it look a bit better than it looks in real life) and I've been thinking I should figure out the best way to maintain it.</p>
<p>Would it be advisable to apply mineral oil or perhaps even a hard setting oil to it? Or some other finish or other product to help restore and maintain it?<br />
More generally, what should I do to maintain and/or restore the piece?</p>
<p>Since it might be relevant, I have no idea about the provenance of the piece. It could be a hundred years old Lao carving. It could be a cheap, mass produced knockoff. It could be somewhere in the middle. If you have any thoughts, please share.</p>
<p>Finally, I included a few pictures of what looks like paint that can be seen in some places on the piece. So it may have been painted at some point, but it's hard to imagine someone painstakingly stripping it and not doing any other finishing work.</p>
<div class="s-table-container">
<table class="s-table">
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<th style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/oypvo.jpg" width="300"></th>
<th style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/goKKG.jpg" width="300"></th>
<th style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/1ErUI.jpg" width="300"></th>
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<td style="text-align: center;">Full carved wooden panel</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">Close up of the carved wooden panel</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">Carved wooden panel showing green paint</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/yN9dS.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/yN9dS.jpg" alt="carved wood panel red paint" /></a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/Hktmk.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/Hktmk.jpg" alt="carved wood panel more green paint" /></a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/ezPRE.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/ezPRE.jpg" alt="carved wood panel cracks" /></a></td>
</tr>
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<td style="text-align: center;">Carved wooden panel showing red paint</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">Carved wooden panel showing more green paint</td>
<td style="text-align: center;">Carved wooden panel showing cracks</td>
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</tbody>
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</div>
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-08-11T22:08:16.697Z
Welcome! Can you please narrow this down to just a single question? Stack Exchange is designed to only focus on one actual question per post.
Allison C
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-08-11T22:43:54.247Z
Done. The secondary questions were more about background information I assume someone was going to ask about that I didn't have answers to.
le_andrew
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-08-12T09:54:44.177Z
I believe it might actually be an unfinished wood carving. The edges are sharp and rough, whereas a finished piece would in all likelihood have been sanded and polished, and - indeed - protected. This could also explain the single touch of red paint, possibly intended to see how the paint/colour would react.
Joachim
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-08-12T13:38:02.777Z
Great, thanks for clarifying the question! Hopefully someone can help you out. :)
Allison C
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-08-13T21:35:53.733Z
Good question, but it might be hard to answer.  If it's losing color, it may have had just an oil finish, or the natural oils in the wood are drying out.  Applying some oil could help to restore the original wood appearance and highlight the exposed grain in the carving, but it may also darken the scratches and cracks.  The cracks don't look like the carving is at risk of breaking.  You could leave them alone.  They could be filled, but it would be hard to make them invisible if the wood remains unfinished.
fixer1234
<wood><preservation><restoration><wood-carving>
How should I maintain a carved wood panel
le_andrew
# How should I maintain a carved wood panel

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-08-11)

I bought this wood carving (see below) several years ago from a vintage/antique housewares and decor store. At least one of the cracks predates my purchase, but I don't think all of them do.  
Additionally, it just feels like aging, unfinished wood (light in weight, rough texture, losing color, etc.; oddly enough the images below make it look a bit better than it looks in real life) and I've been thinking I should figure out the best way to maintain it.

Would it be advisable to apply mineral oil or perhaps even a hard setting oil to it? Or some other finish or other product to help restore and maintain it?  
More generally, what should I do to maintain and/or restore the piece?

Since it might be relevant, I have no idea about the provenance of the piece. It could be a hundred years old Lao carving. It could be a cheap, mass produced knockoff. It could be somewhere in the middle. If you have any thoughts, please share.

Finally, I included a few pictures of what looks like paint that can be seen in some places on the piece. So it may have been painted at some point, but it's hard to imagine someone painstakingly stripping it and not doing any other finishing work.

|  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full carved wooden panel | Close up of the carved wooden panel | Carved wooden panel showing green paint |
| [carved wood panel red paint](https://i.sstatic.net/yN9dS.jpg) | [carved wood panel more green paint](https://i.sstatic.net/Hktmk.jpg) | [carved wood panel cracks](https://i.sstatic.net/ezPRE.jpg) |
| Carved wooden panel showing red paint | Carved wooden panel showing more green paint | Carved wooden panel showing cracks |

**Tags:** wood, preservation, restoration, wood-carving

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Welcome! Can you please narrow this down to just a single question? Stack Exchange is designed to only focus on one actual question per post.  
> **username_0**: Done. The secondary questions were more about background information I assume someone was going to ask about that I didn't have answers to.  
> **username_2**: I believe it might actually be an unfinished wood carving. The edges are sharp and rough, whereas a finished piece would in all likelihood have been sanded and polished, and - indeed - protected. This could also explain the single touch of red paint, possibly intended to see how the paint/colour would react.  
> **username_1**: Great, thanks for clarifying the question! Hopefully someone can help you out. :)  
> **username_3**: Good question, but it might be hard to answer.  If it's losing color, it may have had just an oil finish, or the natural oils in the wood are drying out.  Applying some oil could help to restore the original wood appearance and highlight the exposed grain in the carving, but it may also darken the scratches and cracks.  The cracks don't look like the carving is at risk of breaking.  You could leave them alone.  They could be filled, but it would be hard to make them invisible if the wood remains unfinished.  

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## 0 answers

