In the context of lumber, the term "Fehlkante" refers to the bark up to the growth layer, which results in a smooth surface on the wood. Depending on the intended use of the board, the board edges are sawn off to a greater or lesser depth. For later table edges, a deeper cut is usually made to obtain a smooth surface, while for lumber such as roof battens, an attempt is made to cut off as little wood as possible to minimize loss.
When processing the boards, the outer layers (rind and bark) are separated from the remaining components of the plank. Then, by parallel cutting, the board edges are created, which then run lengthwise/grain-wise to the board and result in a smooth but organic shape of the edge – i.e., as the tree grew in nature. To obtain furniture edges suitable for tabletops and furniture pieces, the cut edges are then sanded and smoothed.
This leaves the board in its naturally grown form, so that the structure of a tree is clearly visible – this results in the irregular, natural shape that characterizes live edge furniture. This is particularly evident in live edge tables, where usually two table edges are made in the natural, curved shape. This live edge then makes the piece of furniture unique, because every tree grows differently in nature, and therefore every live edge also differs in form and appearance.
Other terms for "Fehlkante" are – sometimes regionally different – live edge, natural edge, wane, and forest edge.
