“How do I remove Sharpie marker from the live edge of my board?” is one of our frequently asked questions. We have a few tried and true methods that make removing this from live edges, bark, and the cut ends as easy as possible!
Two Step Guide to Remove Sharpie from Live Edge
Start With Lacquer Thinner to Remove Sharpie from Live Edges
A lot of the time, the sharpie marker will be removed during the finish sanding process and will not be a problem, but if you’re trying to preserve the bark or live edges, we recommend starting with a little lacquer thinner! Lightly wet a shop rag with the lacquer thinner and then wipe this over the number with some light pressure. We have a video of this technique on our Instagram here so you can see how easy it is! If this doesn’t do the trick, you may need to use steel wool or do some light sanding to get the marker removed. This will leave a visible mark on the piece, but since most of these numbers are written on dirt/debris along the edges, they should rub off easily
Sanding to Remove Sharpie Marker from Live Edges
Removing the sharpie marker from cut ends and edges can be a little trickier. Since these areas are freshly cut, the marker sinks into the wood rather than just sitting on top like on the live edge. Some sanding usually does the trick, but if the marker has sunk too deep into the wood to sand out, we recommend freshly cutting the area. By taking off 1/16″ at a time, you can quickly remove the number while maintaining as much width/length as possible on your project!
To Wrap it All Up...
See how easy removing the sharpie can be? If you have more questions, speak to one of The Lumber Shack’s Wood Experts today via live chat, email, or a phone call. We are happy to help!
Interesting in shopping? Take a look at our huge selection of live edge slabs.