Known as a bowtie, or Dutchmen, this inlay technique is used to provide structural integrity in a slab of timber that has started checking. Checking is when the end of a board begins to split through its depth. The bowtie shape of these inlayed pieces helps to stabilize the checking. We had a client come to us with this beautiful table made from a slab of Ash. As the Ash continued its drying process the checking became worse.
We installed 5 of these bowties, of various shapes and sizes, in order to provide structural stability and also to provide unique visual interest in the table. The process was done by hand and as you can see from the photos they help turn the cracks into something much more appealing. With the 5 bowties installed and the sanding complete, we are just waiting for the table to return from our finishing specialist.
