To find a burl, start with trees already scheduled for removal: ask local arborists, utility tree crews, construction contacts, sawmills, and loggers to connect you with wood before it is buried, burned, or chipped. Get the property owner’s permission before taking anything, and establish where a burl came from whether you recover or buy it. Avoid cutting a burl from a healthy living tree; harvesting it can kill the tree.
Where to find burls
Burls can turn up when land is cleared, trees are thinned, or diseased trees are removed. The best leads often come from people who already work with trees or land-clearing projects.
- Construction contacts: Ask friends or colleagues in construction to introduce you to land-development crews. Trees removed during property clearing may otherwise be buried, burned, or mulched.
- Utility tree crews: Ask about trees cut along rights-of-way. Do not assume a crew’s access gives you permission to recover wood; get approval from the property owner.
- Arborists: Contact local arborists, who may know about wooded-lot thinning or diseased trees scheduled for removal.
- Sawmills, loggers, hardwood stores, and woodturning groups: Build relationships and ask about local sources, offcuts, and upcoming removals. A USDA-supported Pacific Northwest primer on figured wood notes that markets and sourcing depend on harvesting, transport, and processing choices; a local buyer may be able to estimate a piece.
Before recovering wood, confirm who owns the tree and get explicit permission. Rules for public land and protected species vary by location, so check with the landowner and applicable local authority before cutting or removing wood.
Choose the right kind of burl for your project
Decide whether you want a raw burl to process yourself, a slab for furniture or decorative work, or a turning blank. Compare each individual piece rather than relying on a universal grade: the sources do not establish a standard burl grading system or a current, comparable price list.
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- Diameter size: Bowls natural style, color and wood grain varies approximately 9"-10" in Diameter and 3" in Height
- Unique:The root carving bowl is hand-carved from natural fir by skilled craftsmen, each shape is different,you will receive a unique and exquisite wooden bowl.
- Material:Our root carved bowl is made of natural fir roots, which is environmentally friendly, durable and strong.
- Multiple Uses: You can use the wood bowl in the living room, kitchen, party to put fruits, snacks, salads and other foods.
- Looks Vary:Has natural cracks, gaps and knots due to nature of the wood.belongs to the normal phenomenon，each shape is different, there are differences in color, size, texture.If you can’t accept it, please buy with caution
| Form | Best suited to | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Raw burl | A project where you want to choose the cut and do the processing. | Usable size after shaping, visible figure, cracks or other damage, moisture condition, and the tools and experience needed to cut it safely. |
| Slab | Furniture, panels, or decorative woodworking. | Finished dimensions after drying and flattening, end-grain sealing, cracks, mold, insect damage, weathering, and drying status. |
| Turning blank | Woodturning projects sized for a lathe. | Blank dimensions, defects, moisture condition, figure, and whether it has been prepared or stabilized for turning. |
For a purchase, ask for the species, origin, condition, exact dimensions, and whether the listing image shows the individual piece being sold. Supplier inventory, prices, and lead times change, so request a current quote for that exact piece and account for freight and any processing.
What to look for in the figure
Burl figure is unpredictable: a piece may have swirling patterns, eyes, or little notable figure. WOOD Magazine’s March 4, 2025 guide recommends a test slice to help reveal what is inside. It describes the cut direction for eye-pattern burl this way: a cut parallel to the trunk displays eyes, while a cut perpendicular to the trunk displays radial lines.
Rank #2
- Olive wood pot with lid
- Perfect for serving and storing salt or sugar
- Each one unique. Made in Spain
- Brand new Naturally Med item - complete with Naturally Med strap
- Please note: photo is an example of the product, not the exact one that is sent
That is a useful guide, not a guarantee that every burl will produce a particular pattern. The article quotes kiln owner/operator Kevin Koski of Curly Maple Wood in Williamsfield, Ohio: “It’s a bit of a crapshoot.” If the piece may be valuable or difficult to cut, get experienced help before making an irreversible cut. A Pacific Northwest forestry primer also cautions inexperienced cutters to work with an expert or attend a workshop because poor cutting can reduce a burl’s value.
Handle and dry the burl for its intended use
Fresh-cut wood can crack or distort as it dries. WOOD Magazine gives different general handling guidance for stored burls, slabs, and green turning blanks. Species, size, and moisture conditions affect drying, so its timelines are rules of thumb rather than guarantees.
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- APPEARANCE DIFFERENCES: Every hand-carved wood bowl features a special shape, and there may be differences in color, shape, and weight. So please note that the product you receive may differ from the picture shown
- MATERIAL: The decorative bowls are formed from sturdy wood, it will be a nice choice for home decoration
- DIMENSION: There are 6 different sizes for you to choose: 6"-8" Diameter, 8"-10" Diameter, 10"-12" Diameter, 12"-14" Diameter, 14"-16" Diameter, above 16" Diameter. Please note that each wooden bowl will be different in size even in same size range, some will be bigger, some will be smaller
- MULTI-USAGE: The wooden irregular bowl not only can be used to hold fruits, nuts, candy, snacks, keys, etc., but also can be used as a decorations on the dining table
- WARM TIPS: The wood fruit serving bowls may have cracks, gaps due to the feature of the wood, which are normal phenomena
Storing a burl for a later project
- Remove it from the downed tree with a couple of inches of extra wood above and below the burl.
- Seal the cut ends with latex paint.
- Store it outdoors, out of direct sun and off the ground.
Preparing a slab
- For a slab, cut at least 1/4 inch thicker than the intended final thickness to allow for shrinkage and distortion.
- Seal the end grain.
- WOOD Magazine advises drying slabs indoors for four to six months before use. Treat that as general guidance, not a fixed schedule for every slab.
Preparing a green turning blank
Seal exposed end grain and store the blank indoors for about four weeks before rough turning. Then let the rough-turned form stabilize before final shaping. Use this as a rule of thumb, not a replacement for checking the wood’s moisture or applying species- and project-specific drying judgment.
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Burl value depends on factors including species, size, figure, mold, weathering stains, insect damage, cracks, and the work needed to harvest and process it. The Pacific Northwest primer’s sample burl prices date to 2011–2012, so they are historical examples, not current price guidance. For a realistic comparison, get quotes for the exact piece and include transport and processing costs.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- A rustic yet refined bowl, this piece features a charred brown finish on Paulownia wood, enhancing its textured allure
- An ideal accent for farmhouse, cottage, organic, lodge, or cabin themes, it brings warmth and authenticity to any space
- Ideal for displaying decorative accents, this bowl adds a touch of rustic elegance to tables, shelves, or mantels
- Made of Paulownia wood, a lightweight, soft wood
- 9” L x 6” W x 6” H
Rank #4
- ✔️ Hand crafted from a SINGLE PIECE of solid olive wood sustainably harvested from aged olive trees (typically 200-300 years old) in the Southern Mediterranean. Features exotic burl grains in natural olive wood colors (no stain), round shape. Beautifully hand finished with five successively finer grains of sandpaper, then sealed with olive oil. Each item is unique. ALL OF OUR PRODUCTS ARE HANDCRAFTED, RECLAIMED AND SUSTAINABLY PRODUCED UNDER FAIR TRADE AGREEMENT.
- ✔️ Available in Small (6 inch diameter, 2.4 inch high), Medium (7 x 2.8 inch), Large (8 x 3.2 inch), Extra large (11 x 3.5 inch) and XXL (12 x 4 inch). ALL DIMENSIONS ARE APPROXIMATE. Our olivewood bowls are heavy, approximately 0.6 inch thick. Dimensions, shape and natural flaws vary with each piece due to natural features of the aged olive trees, and because each piece is carved by hand. Photos are examples of the products and not the exact piece sent.
- ✔️ Our rare decorative wooden bowls are handmade and one-of-a-kind, and make ideal serveware for salads, fruit, snacks, hors d'oeuvres, bread, condiments, chips & dips, nuts, appetizers, side dishes, popcorn, charcuterie or any food; as a unique farmhouse décor centerpiece; potpourri or dough bowl, or memorable place to display your keys or jewelry. Perfect your home or kitchen table presentations with the flair of a professional chef for your friends, family gatherings, or parties.
- ✔️ Orchard Hardwoods olive wood bowls and boards make unique and personalized gifts for birthday, wedding, anniversary, Christmas, Thanksgiving, housewarming, or an "I love you" to your favorite chef, cook, host / hostess or kitchen ninja. CARE INSTRUCTIONS: Gently hand wash with soft sponge / warm water, dry gently. Wipe occasionally with olive / mineral oil or food grade beeswax to keep wood from drying. Do not place in dishwasher, soak in water, set in direct sun or near any source of heat.
- ✔️ Orchard Hardwoods products are sustainably produced and carefully handcrafted under a fair trade agreement, by skilled artisans at a small family owned factory in the developing North African nation of Tunisia. Beautiful old non-bearing olive trees are harvested and reclaimed for their precious hardwood under a government permit, before new trees are replanted in their place.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
