Intarsia

:This article is about the form of wood inlaying. For the knitting technique, please see Intarsia (knitting).

Intarsia is a form of wood inlaying that is similar to marquetry. It is believed to have developed in Sicily, and the art was widely practised in Italy from around 1400 to 1600.

It is the craft of using varied shapes, sizes and species of wood fitted together to create an almost 3-D inlaid, mosaic-like picture. It is thought that the word 'intarsia' is derived from the Latin word 'interserere' which means "to insert" and that it was originally developed in Siena, Italy in the 13th century by crafters using inlays of ivory inserted in wood as well as inlays of wood inserted into wall murals, table tops and other furniture.

Today, intarsia is created by selecting different types of wood, using its natural grain patterns and colors (rather than dyes and stains) to create the different colors in the pattern. Each piece of wood is then individually crafted by cutting, shaping, sanding, and finishing before fitting them together like a jig saw puzzle and gluing them to a piece of 1/4 inch plywood backing cut to the shape of the final product. Sometimes, additional pieces of plywood are used to raise areas of the pattern to create more depth. Once together, a final layer of finish is applied and the project is complete.


Home Articles Construction Tools Woodworking Store Tools Furniture Bathroom Flooring	Intarsia :This article is about the form of wood inlaying. For the knitting technique, please see Intarsia (knitting). Intarsia is a form of wood inlaying that is similar to marquetry. It is believed to have developed in Sicily, and the art was widely practised in Italy from around 1400 to 1600. It is the craft of using varied shapes, sizes and species of wood fitted together to create an almost 3-D inlaid, mosaic-like picture. It is thought that the word 'intarsia' is derived from the Latin word 'interserere' which means "to insert" and that it was originally developed in Siena, Italy in the 13th century by crafters using inlays of ivory inserted in wood as well as inlays of wood inserted into wall murals, table tops and other furniture. Today, intarsia is created by selecting different types of wood, using its natural grain patterns and colors (rather than dyes and stains) to create the different colors in the pattern. Each piece of wood is then individually crafted by cutting, shaping, sanding, and finishing before fitting them together like a jig saw puzzle and gluing them to a piece of 1/4 inch plywood backing cut to the shape of the final product. Sometimes, additional pieces of plywood are used to raise areas of the pattern to create more depth. Once together, a final layer of finish is applied and the project is complete.
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