Assessing the use of bonded sawdust as a substitute material for carving in Ghana: Case study at Kumasi Metropolis In Ashanti Region

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the use of sawdust as a substitute for carving material. The research adopted cross-sectional survey design for the study. The research adopted deductive and inductive research approaches. The population for the study was 340. Stratified random sampling technique was used to obtain the sample size of 184. Questionnaire was the main instrument used to gather primary data. Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS version 20.0) was used to analyze data. The data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study results indicated that although bonded sawdust could be carved just as wood, experiment revealed that only extremely well sharpened tools could do the carving to expectation. Any blunt tool was found to peel the mould off rather than carved it. It was revealed in the research that pieces carved out of bonded sawdust would be best for interior use than exterior usage. This was because bonded sawdust could not withstand rain as compared to wood. Bonded sawdust that came into contact with rain were susceptible to reverse to their original state if handled well and left to dry. The stud y results show that the factors that influence timber species selection for carving works were durability, mechanical and physical properties (ranked 1st), Quality (ranked 2nd), Appearance (ranked 3rd), Processability (ranked 4th), Type of product (ranked 5th), Availability (ranked 6th), Price (ranked 7th), Affordability (ranked 8th), Thickness sizes (ranked 9th), Sustainability (ranked 10th), Suitability (ranked 11th), Informed decision (ranked 12th), Area of usage (ranked 13th), and Expert advice (ranked 14th). The study concluded that sawdust could be used as carving material and fashion into blocks and boards to serve as a substitute material for carving and the quality of carved pieces from sawdust boards could be compared to solid boards. The study recommended that planned orientation programme should be organized for wood carvers to acquaint them with the use of bonded sawdust as a substitute material for carving.