FAQS: Conservation Unit
How do I fix a cracked wooden artifact?
The short answer is: you can’t. When wood is growing, it is full of water. Once it is cut, it begins to dry out until it comes into a state of balance with the moisture in the surrounding air. When the surrounding air changes, the wood has to readjust.
We may joke about how “it’s a dry cold”, but Saskatchewan’s seasonal changes in humidity are no joking matter when it comes to artifacts made of wood. In Saskatchewan, these adjustments are extreme: our air can hold as much as 100% humidity during the summer and as little as 5% during the winter! Wood swells and shrinks with each change, and causes cracks to form.
The best that you can do is to keep the wood in the most stable possible environment. This means humidifying your home during the winter and keeping wood away from heat sources like hot, dry attics and out of damp basements. And if you bring home a beautiful Haida mask from the West Coast, put it in a loosely sealed plastic bag and allow it to dry slowly over several months. Then expect it to crack anyway.
For further information contact the Museum Conservator