Checking

Natural rustic furniture is going to have some checking (or cracks) that develop as the wood releases moisture. Wood species behave differently as this drying takes place. Some woods won't do much checking while others will show substantial cracks, however this is a natural process and will not affect the strength of the log (or furniture piece) itself. Smaller diameter woods such as Hickory saplings or bent Willow twigs usually do not show evidence of checking. If this look is something that really bothers you then you may want to stay away from bulky log furniture and go with smaller sapling construction. Some of the larger log furniture like Cedar, Lodge Pole Pine, and Aspen will show evidence of checking, but in a lot of ways it is just another character feature of rustic furniture. Each log will be different and unique, and natural in appearance. So, don't fight it or worry that your furniture is going to fall apart. It is natural and it is part of the rustic charm.