Creating Wood Inlay Rings: Making the New, Old Again

Weathered wood has such an amazing, distinctive appeal. All of those years spent in the elements and the natural course of time make for some great character; not unlike ourselves. Old wood has long been reclaimed for picture frames and the like, but in most cases, cannot stand up to the process of creating a wood inlay ring. Yet, there is a way to turn new wood old, or at least give it the aesthetic characteristics of old wood, and the result is pretty fantastic.

Creating "Weathered Wood" 

Most, if not all woods, have tannins. It is the substance used to tan leather and gives woods their distinctive brown hues. In true weathered wood, the tannins are slowly leeched out, replaced by minerals in the air, and chemically changed due to ultraviolet rays. We can create the same effect by an old technique of submerging the wood in a bath of water and ferrous sulfate, a mineral commonly used as an iron supplement. The chemical reaction with the tannins in the wood "weathers" it while still leaving the wood in perfect condition.

Wood shavings that have been weathered. Different woods react differently to the process. Oak turns a deep gray or near-blue while Black Cherry turns gray. Woods with very little tannin, such as Maple, turn almost silver. 

Once the wood has been "weathered", it makes a beautiful ring inlay. The result is a truly unique design. There are traces of the new wood peeking through the gray weathering that looks very distinctive. Take a look at the finished version of this ring, we call it The Old Fashioned!

Whether you’re a whiskey fan or not, the wood used for whiskey barrels is unique enough to be a conversation starter with many and it makes for a lovely, eye-catching ring.

Some of the weathered combinations we offer at Rustic and Main are The Speakeasy (for men) and The Helen (for women). These rings feature weathered barrel wood of your favorite whiskey to create a simple, but beautiful ring for either the bride or groom!

The Speakeasy in Gold

Also worth noting, are our weathered whiskey barrel wood and elk inlay ring options. If you want a middle or an offset inlay, look no further! 

We also offer a ring with weathered maple, called The Silver Maple, if you like a more grey, iridescent hue. 

Shop our entire collection of whiskey barrel rings, handcrafted to order for you by our passionate and skilled artisans.

~ Yarbrough