Make sure the container is clean so there isn’t any dirt or chemicals that could alter the appearance of the wood slice.

You could also use small bricks or smooth stones to support the wood slice.

Latex or thick rubber gloves will work fine. The solutions could make you ill if it’s absorbed through your skin, so make sure you’re protected and wash them with soap and water immediately if you get some on your hands.

Pour enough Pentacryl to fill your container about halfway to ⅔ full so it doesn’t overflow when you add your wood slice. You can find Pentacryl at woodworking supply stores or by ordering it online.

Wood sealers that are commonly used to prevent wooden slices from cracking as they dry include Wood Juice and Anchorseal. You can find quality wood sealers at woodworking supply stores, at hardware stores, or by ordering it online.

Be careful not to breathe in the fumes of the alcohol when you add it to the container. Look for denatured alcohol at home improvement stores, at department stores, or online to order.

The slice doesn’t need to be fully submerged in the solution to soak it up. As long as more than half of the slice is submerged, the wood will absorb the solution. Use standard plastic wrap to cover the container.

For thin slices in alcohol, let the wood soak for at least a day. Avoid checking on the slice or disturbing it so the solution can soak into the wood evenly.

Thinner slices can dry in just a few days, but slices that are thicker than 5 inches (13 cm) could take up to a month. If the surface of the wood is moist or damp at all to the touch, then it isn’t dry yet.

Even after you stir the mixture, you’ll still see some salt crystals floating in the water. Use standard table salt so it mixes better with the water. This amount of salt paste will allow you to coat several large slices of wood.

If you accidentally add too much corn starch, and the paste is too hard, add some more water to the mixture to loosen it.

After a few minutes, the salt paste will begin to harden and soak into the wood and won’t be easily rubbed off.

Thick slices of wood can take a few weeks to fully dry. When the center of the wood is faded and the slice feels much lighter, then it’s dry.