About

MAINE BURLS and what this is all about

I started collecting burls long ago and to me, going on a burl search is like hunting for treasure. I’m a licensed State of Maine arborist working in the green industry for over 30 years. I have a large circle of friends from all over the state who call me when they have spotted a burl. Sometimes a big lump of wood will just show up on my doorstep. The cause of most burls cannot be readily explained. From the outside they are ugly bulbous painful looking growths. On the inside, they can be amazing. Their grain is often confused, dancing, shimmering and there may be spalting. “Spalting” is any form of wood coloration caused by fungi. Insects often leave their unusual marks as well. These patterns can be mesmerizing and no two alike. Burls are prized by artisans who know how to expose their beauty.

All of my burls come from trees in MAINE which fell or were being felled for legitimate reasons such as a tree in a forestry management project, a hazard tree, or a dead tree. Some burls come from limbs which where pruned from a tree as often the burl will choke and kill the branch.

My work is finished with Danish Oil, which is a refined mixture of natural linseed oil and stabilizing polymers. This finish is absorbed into the wood grain unlike a varnish or lacquer , which cover the outside of the wood. An oil finish is a more natural and has excellent preservation properties. You would have to eat the wood to be concerned about health effects, however, Danish oil is not considered “food safe.” You may apply another type of finish over the oil if desired. Bee’s wax works nicely to enhance the glow. To maintain the bowl, simply apply furniture polish, lemon oil, or like product every once in awhile. If you choose not to treat your burl, it will be fine. It may collect dust and the finish may lose some luster.

All my bowls are not intended to hold liquids, they are “objet d’art”, works of art. My “guarantee” is that each piece is hand produced by me alone, the wood is Maine sourced, and will arrive in perfect condition. Each piece bears my authenticating initials “JPD”.

Please email me with any questions joeburl123@gmail.com