{"id":236146,"date":"2025-04-20T13:23:06","date_gmt":"2025-04-20T11:23:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/catznwood.be\/?p=236146"},"modified":"2026-04-20T14:02:13","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T12:02:13","slug":"everything-you-need-to-know-about-cracks-in-wood-causes-maintenance-and-repair-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/catznwood.be\/en\/alles-wat-je-moet-weten-over-barsten-in-hout-oorzaken-onderhoud-en-herstel\/","title":{"rendered":"Cracks in wood: why it happens and what you can do about it"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Cracks in wood: why it happens and what you can do about it<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You see it and are shocked: a crack in your wooden cat scratching post. Sometimes one, sometimes several. Sometimes wide enough to put your finger in. It feels like a defect, but it\u2019s not that. Here we explain what\u2019s really going on and what you can do about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why does solid wood crack?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Solid wood reacts to its environment. Always. That applies to a \u20ac3,000 dining table, a parquet floor, and our scratching posts. Price or weight play no role in that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The wood we use \u2014 oak and teak \u2014 comes from Southeast Asia, where the humidity is much higher than in a Belgian home. Once inside, especially with the heating on, the wood loses moisture. It shrinks slightly, and that manifests itself in cracks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At our feet, tree trunks that are up to 10 to 15 cm thick have a stronger effect than thinner wood. Such a thick log takes 3 years in nature to completely dry. In a dry living room, this process goes faster, and then a crack of 1 to 2 cm wide can be quite normal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That is not a production defect. It is wood that behaves as wood behaves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Does moving have something to do with it?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

No. Cracks form due to humidity and temperature, not due to movement. A pole that has never been moved can crack just as easily as one that has been moved several times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When should I worry?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

With aesthetic cracks \u2014 also wide ones \u2014 you don\u2019t have to worry about stability. All the poles are on four sets of feet that can easily be adjusted if the pole gets slightly crooked due to wood movement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still unsure? Send us a photo. Jurgen will look at it and give you an honest answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What can you do yourself?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

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Cracks can be aesthetically repaired with wood paste. We work with the brand Frencken<\/strong>, Available for sale in most home improvement stores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here's how to do it:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Clean up the crack.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Apply the pasta wet to the crack.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Scrub it off immediately while the paste is still wet \u2014 this blends the color into the wood.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Let dry and repeat for deep cracks.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Result: The crack is hardly visible anymore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Would you rather we do it?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    No problem. We offer a free refill service<\/strong> at our production hall in Westerlo. You simply make an appointment; Jurgen fills the cracks and smooths them out. No costs, no hassle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \ud83d\udccd Lossing 7, 2260 Westerlo \u2014 by appointment only info@catznwood.be<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    How can you prevent cracks in the future?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    It is not possible to completely prevent it. But you can reduce the risk:<\/p>\n\n\n\n