How to Fractal Burn Wood

Co-authored by Janice Tieperman

Last Updated: March 11, 2025 References

Have you ever seen a wooden table or craft with a cool lightning design burned into it? The wood wasn’t actually hit by lightning; instead, it was burned with intense electricity. This craft is known as fractal wood burning—while it isn’t difficult, it can be extremely dangerous, since you’re dealing with strong electrical currents. Most woodworking professionals don’t recommend doing this activity.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Safe Preparation

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1
Slide on a pair of welding gloves, insulated shoes, and a face mask. You’re working with some heavy-duty electricity when you fractal burn wood, so it‘s important to protect yourself ahead of time. Grab a pair of welding gloves, along with a pair of insulating shoes, which will absorb electrical shock. ^{[1]
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Research source} Slip on a face mask or respirator, as well—fractal burning creates small puffs of smoke, which you definitely don’t want to breathe in. ^{[2]
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- Boots or shoes made with pure rubber can keep you safe from electrical shock. ^{[3]
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2
Place your Lichtenberg figure wood burner near your work surface and plug it in. Your Lichtenberg wood burner essentially looks like a metal box with 2 electrical probes attached. Set this box near your work station, and arrange both probes upright in their respective slots. Place the foot pedal on the floor, and plug in the power cord. ^{[4]
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- Don’t use a regular electrical transformer for this project—this is extremely dangerous, and you can end up getting seriously hurt. ^{[5]
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3
Lay a piece of unblemished wood on your work surface. You can experiment with different types of wood, like cherry, maple, walnut, or mahogany. Double- and triple-check that the wood is flat and steady on the surface, so it doesn’t shift while you’re burning it. ^{[6]
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- Since fractal burning designs are essentially scorch marks, they tend to show up better on lighter woods.
- Some artisans find that fine grain fiber board and plywood work well for this craft. ^{[7]
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4
Mix 2 tbsp (29 g) of baking soda into 1 US qt (0.95 L) of water. Fill a bowl or container with tap water and set it near your work station. Stir in 2 spoonfuls of baking soda—this will help the wood conduct electricity, and will help you choose where your fractal designs will go. ^{[8]
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- On its own, wood won’t conduct electricity and make the cool lightning design that you’re going for. The baking soda solution helps the wood conduct electricity, which creates the unique burn marks. ^{[9]
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5
Spread the solution over the surface of your wood with a brush. Dip a foam or regular paint brush into the baking soda solution and spread a thin layer over part of the wood. Only use a little bit—the surface of the wood should be damp, but not sopping wet. ^{[10]
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- For instance, you might paint the water over the center of the wood if you’d like the fractal design to show up there.
- You can also paint the edges of your wood with water.

Part 2

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Electrical Designs

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1
Pick up a probe in each hand. These probes control the electricity that goes into the wood, and help create the cool lightning effect. Don’t let these leads touch, or else you’ll create a huge electrical shock. ^{[11]
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- Specialty machines will have circular parts attached above the metal parts of each probe. Always hold each probe above this circular portion, so you don’t burn or shock yourself by mistake.
2
Place the probes on 2 separate points of the damp wood. If you’d prefer long, intricate burn marks, place both probes on opposite ends of the plank. If you’d prefer a shorter design, place the probes a few inches or centimeters away from one another. Touch the probes directly to the wood, which will create the lightning-shaped burn marks. ^{[12]
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- The further apart the probes are, the longer the wood will take to burn.
- Make sure the probes don’t touch when you place them on the wood!
Double-check that the probes are touching the wood before you crank out the electricity. If everything looks good to go, press the pedal to get your design started. ^{[13]
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You’ll see smoke and sparks coming off the surface of your wood—this is completely normal, and it’s how the “lightning” design forms. Watch as 2 scorch lines wiggle and burn their way across the wood until both are touching. ^{[14]
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Lift up the safety pedal before removing the probes from the wood. Once the electricity is turned off, you can place the probes back into the metal box. ^{[15]
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Wet the surface of the wood, if necessary, and place your probes on 2 different parts of the wood. Press down on the pedal to get the electricity going, and lift your foot off once you’ve completed your design. Enjoy your cool piece of fractal-burned wood! ^{[16]
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Place the probes back in the metal box, and check that your foot is off the safety pedal. Then, unplug the power cord and store your wood burner in a safe place.
8
Clean off any charred bits from the finished wood. Place the wood under running water, and go over the surface with a soft-bristled brush. Don’t brush off the wood while it’s dry, or else the char dust might get stuck in the cracks.
- You can use a toothbrush for this.
Place the fractal-burned wood in a dry, open area until it’s dry to the touch. Then, sand down the surface with 220-grit sandpaper to even out the wood.

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Tips

If the wood doesn’t burn at first, it might be too wet from the baking soda solution. Dab it dry with a paper towel, and then try again. ^{[17]
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Consider buying some fractal burned wood from a custom seller instead of making it at home. This is a lot safer than burning the wood yourself.

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If your wood has any baking soda stains, clean them off with a vinegar-soaked paper towel.

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Warnings

Fractal burning can be extremely dangerous, and can lead to serious injury or death if done improperly. Only do this activity if you have the right equipment, and if you’re comfortable working with strong electrical currents. ^{[18]
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Don’t use a homemade electric transformer for this project. You can get seriously injured if something goes wrong. ^{[19]
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Always work with someone else nearby. If something goes wrong, they can call for help. ^{[20]
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Things You’ll Need

Welding gloves
Insulated shoes
Face mask
Lichtenberg figure wood burner
Wood
Water
Baking soda
Brush

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How to Fractal Burn Wood

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Safe Preparation

Electrical Designs

Expert Q&A

Tips

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Things You’ll Need

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