I just wanted to address a few questions that many people have asked in the past so that you can be well informed and enjoy your barrel head to the fullest.
My barrel head is warping, is that normal?
The short answer is, yes some warping is normal, but as it is hanging on the wall it shouldn't be too noticeable or cause any problems with the structural stability of the piece. The long answer is... When I get the barrel heads, the wood is often still saturated with that sweet nectar contained in the barrel. Not saturated to the point where it is dripping out, but the wood is definitely still holding on to a lot of moisture and thus is in an expanded state. The inside of the barrel, obviously, contains more moisture than the outside, so the wood is more expanded than the outside, simply because it is on the wet side of the barrel. That also means that it is more compressed because as it expands with the moisture, it has nowhere to go because it is surrounded on all sides by other boards and the barrel staves on the sides. This causes the wood to get "smooshed" (that's a technical term). That means that the gaps in the barrel head are more pronounced on the charred side of the barrel head than on the top. So, as the wood shrinks from the evaporating moisture, the gaps on the charred side and the lack of gaps on the top cause the barrel head to push forward and warp toward the charred side. This can be reduced some by keeping your barrel head in an area that is less susceptible to changes in humidity, like in an airconditioned room. But some warping is to be expected regardless and, in my opinion, just adds to the rustic charm of these pieces.
Why does the barrel head have cracks in it?
The carving is done on barrel heads that have been used in the bourbon aging process, so through the years of expansion, contraction, and moisture, the wood changes shape. Every barrel head is meticulously taken apart and re-glued to make sure that it holds together for years to come. While the glue is drying, it is held in a press to make it as flat as possible for carving and display. Due to the bourbon aging process, the barrel will almost always have some gaps and cracks that show its character and history. We can only hope that we look that good after soaking up so much great Kentucky bourbon.
Why is the barrel head so dirty?
I wipe top the barrel heads (the non-carved side) off to remove as much of the char dust as possible prior to the finishing process. That side should be fairly clean and should not leave any marks from the char on your wall. It is possible that during shipping, some of the char flaked off and ended up between the top of the barrel and the box and left some char to be wiped off again. I would suggest that you take a wet paper towel or rag and wipe it off again before installing it on your wall. If you do get some char on your wall, it should easily wipe off with a damp cloth. As far as the carved side of the barrel head, I normally leave the char intact. The charred oak provides the contrast between the carved and uncarved portions of the piece. I suppose that the char can be covered with spray polyurethane to seal it, but your results may vary due to the flaky nature of the charred surface, and I would not recommend sealing it for that reason. Plus, I enjoy the “natural” surface and can often catch the scent of the long gone bourbon evaporating from it.
Is it ok to hang the barrel head outside?
The barrels themselves are stored in rick houses to age the fine bourbon contained inside, and those rick houses are not equipped with heating or cooling. The rick houses are much like a barn in that respect. As a matter of fact, heat and cold are necessary to the aging process because they act like a pump, expanding and contracting the wood which pulls the aging bourbon into the oak and char, giving the bourbon its signature taste. So the barrel heads can handle the heat and cold presented by being hung outdoors. That being said, they are not accustomed to direct sun, rain, wind and snow, so I would be very careful hanging it in an area where it is exposed to the elements, as it may wash away the charred surface and possibly leave streaks running down the wall where it was hung. Humidity can also have an effect on the barrel head, causing it to bend and cup along the joints, making the barrel head curl up on the ends like a potato chip. The provided hanging hardware would also almost certainly have problems with rust if left out in the elements. To be safe, I would recommend against hanging it outside, but who am I to tell you how to decorate? You clearly have great taste or you wouldn’t be looking to buy this fine product in the first place.
Can you carve other designs?
I can do other designs than the ones that I am currently selling. In fact, I post new designs to the store fairly often. The inventory of designs is virtually limitless. That being said, if I am not getting multiple requests or advanced purchases on a design, it may be subject to a custom design fee. I would love to be able to make every design for every person, but the design and machining layout process can be very time consuming. If I have the opportunity to recoup that time by selling multiples of a particular design, then it makes it more worthwhile and I am able to utilize some economies of scale to reduce the price and the time spent in creating the piece.
Thank you again for taking the time to look at my store, and if you decide to make the leap and buy something, I sincerely hope that it brings joy into your home every time you look at it.
May the sun shine bright on your Old Kentucky Home, wherever it may be.
Regards,
Adrian.