Thuja Wood Art

Finished some fun double gates the other day. The client likes Koru designs and asked me to come up with something that would work in my handsplit cedar gates. I made the design so that I could cut all the pieces I needed out of 1 cedar boards. Each section of the gates is 2 pieces. Once I cut and fit all the pieces I took them outside and burned them with a torch (Japanese Shou Sugi Ban method of natural wood preservation). After burning I used a stiff bristle brush t...o take off the charcoal and smooth the wood, which also lightens the tone to a nice brown. I included a picture of the gate layout so you can see how i prep for the mortise and tenon joinery. Once glued up I also peg each joint with hardwood dowel. All in all a fun new design feature for my gates, and hey you can’t beat nature based art with koru designs! #cedargates #gate #doublegates #koru #woodkoru #shousugiban #shousugibanart See more

Mortise and tenon joinery with non-dimensional hand split cedar. This is the way I usually cut large joints, drill out the mortise and finish with a chisel. Takes some time but this way I can put mortise and tenons on angles and match the curves of the split wood. #woodjoinery #mortiseandtenon #handsplitcedar #cedargateconstruction #cedargates #keeptourchiselsharp!

Switching up wood for stone this week. Facing the foundation with local stone so we can progress towards the exterior final plaster of our strawbale house. #naturalbuilding #strawbalehouse #stonework #buildyourownhouse #naturalplaster

The fall show at The Gallery is open! I am happy to have another cedar sculpture on display amidst a plethora of local art. #cedarsculpture #woodsculpture #galleryshow #localartists #supportlocalart #gulfislandartist #artgallery

This was a fun little gate project for a neighbour. This is a simple ‘Z’ style gate. I call it this because the backside of the gate looks like a ‘Z’ with the rails and diagonal bracing (always angle down to the hinged side of the gate) to which I screwed the pickets. I do this by laying the 3/4 thick pickets front side down on the shop floor, then placing 1 thick rails on top and screwing down into the pickets through the rails in place. This means you don’t see any fa...steners on the front of the gate. With this gate the client brought me a lovely metal ‘Tree of Life’ design they bought to build into the gate. With careful placement of the pickets and rails I was able to securely attach this without compromising the strength of the gate, as I basically cut a huge hole in the gate! The other interesting part of this project is that the clients wanted to replace a chain link gate, but keep the fence, so the gate had to be attached to the round metal posts. I was able to purchase small hinges from a metal fencing company that worked perfect, along with modifying the latch so it would attach to the wood gate. See more

Here’s another project that came my way lately. The local church down the street wanted a new sign and liked my style so here we go. Made from hand split cedar salvaged driftwood and sanded smooth finish. Mortise and tenon joinery with Festool Domino joiner. Finished with Osmo exterior UV oil. #handsplitcedar #cedarsign #woodworking #salvagedcedar #outdoorsign #woodsigns #churchsigns #cedarwood @ Pender Island, British Columbia

A new sign hung at Hope Bay for the opening of the Pender Conservancy. Their new logo featuring the Kingfisher sitting above the ocean is a wonderful representation for our island’s natural beauty. Made with salvaged red cedar, hand split and hand carved and painted. Oiled with Osmo natural exterior oil finish. #redcedarsign #handcarvedsigns #salvagedcedar #woodworking #natureconservancy #woodsignmaker

I made these gates 10-12 years ago and saw them recently on a property I haven’t been to in awhile. They had been moved to a new location when the garden was expanded. They still look great, all silver and weathered! These hand split cedar double gates were made with mortise & tenon joinery and hardwood dowel pegs. #cedargates #handsplitcedargates #weatheredgates #salvagedcedar #oldybutgoody

Making a sign for the new Pender Islands Conservancy Nature Centre at Hope Bay. First pic shows lettering painted but not the Kingfisher design. Other 2 pics show my pencil copy and after carving! Made with hand split salvaged red cedar... #handcarvedsigns #salvagedredcedar #cedardriftwoodsign #businesssign #kingfisherdesign #penderislandsconservancy @ Pender Island, British Columbia

Prioritizing the home projects mean getting to the cob wall that will connect to the future driveway gates that will connect to the future fencing of our whole lower property for expanded gardening. This stone foundation was built many years ago when we built my cob workshop, but we didn’t get to it back then, so now we have decided it is time! Also in the future there will be a greenhouse, which will use part of this cob wall... many functions all which enable us to grow more food. Priorities! #cobbing #naturalbuilding #claysandstraw

Combining driveway and pedestrian gates can be a great way to close a driveway that is 12’ or less. In this case with the clients parking outside the gates it will be mostly the pedestrian side being used regularly. This combo is a 7’ gate with cane bolt to keep it shut on the left and a 4’ walk through gate on the right with a custom forged sprung latch, the catch mounted on the large gate stile. These gates, like all the ones I make are made from salvaged old growth red ...cedar which I handsplit. The frames are sanded and the pickets left rough for contrast and match the fencing on either side of the gates. Mortise and tenon joinery with hardwood pegs. Finished with OSMO exterior oil. #cedardrivewaygates #cedar #drivewaygates #salvagedcedar #customgates #handsplitcedargates #handsplitcedar #gates #curvygates #woodworking #mortiseandtenon #osmooil @ Heriot Bay Rd, Quadra Island, B C See more

Cutting tenons into curved pieces of cedar requires some precise marking and have to be cut with hand saws. This piece is a curved rail for a driveway gate. This tenon goes into the gate stile (3x3x3/4) mortise and is glued (I like to use expanding polyurethane glue on the hand made mortise and tenons opposed to a good exterior white glue for the festool domino joints) and I also drill and peg the joint with hardwood dowel immediately after glueing up for extra strength. #cedargates #handsplitcedargates #tenon #handcuttenons #japanesehandsaws #woodworking #customcedargates

Some days are just sorting and piling days. #woodworking #cedar #woodpiles #salvagedcedar #westernredcedar #smallbusiness #cedarlogs

Local hand split cedar fence and arbour project recently completed. All the wood is salvaged red cedar driftwood. Simple fence design with grapestakes (what we call the handsplit fence boards!) nailed to rails which are fitted between posts and attached with 4 screws. Posts are all bolted onto metal saddles (set in concrete) which keep the wood off the ground and dry so they will last a very long time... #cedarfence #handsplitcedarfence #gardenarbor #cedararbour #funkywoodart #grapestakefencing #salvagedcedar #handmade #penderisland #rosearbor @ Pender Island, British Columbia

Piano Lessons! This small hand split cedar business sign should grab some attention. It is carved and painted on both sides so it can be seen from either direction. Made with floating tenons using my Festool Domino joiner and finished with 2 coats of Osmo clear UV exterior oil finish. This sign is off to Tampa, Florida and give Dawn a call if you are looking for online piano lessons during your quarantine! #businesssign #handmadesign #cedarsign #handcarvedsigns #smallbusiness #handsplitcedar #salvagedcedar #woodworking #supportsmallbusinesses

Komorabi (Japanese characters for sun filtering through leaves) is the inspiration for this custom hand split red cedar address sign made with salvaged driftwood. Hand carved and paint, finished with OSMO exterior. Being shipped off to Maine, USA when it will be installed on metal post brackets set in concrete. #cedaraddresssign #sign #addresssign #handsplitcedar #handmadesigns #woodworking #handcarvedsigns #osmooil

Next sign in the shop... this one will be sent to Maine, USA. Lots of tiny detail in the design of the trees and in the font! Hand carved and painted with One Shot sign paint. Hand split, salvaged red cedar. #handsplitcedar #cedaraddresssign #addresssign #handmadesign #woodworking #handcarving #redcedar #supportsmallbusiness #woodcarving #salvagedcedar