How to Electrocute Wood: Not a Real Treatment (33 Deaths)
No, this is not a real wood-treatment method — “electrifying” wood does not increase its durability or resistance to insects and decay. What people usually mean by this search is the Lichtenberg/fractal-burning technique, which uses high-voltage current to burn branching patterns into wood. That technique is genuinely lethal: at least 33 documented deaths in the US since 2017.
⚠️ Serious Safety Warning
Fractal/Lichtenberg wood burning uses lethal voltages (typically 1,000–15,000V from a microwave, neon-sign, or oil-burner transformer). At least 33 people died attempting this at home between 2017 and 2022, most from accidental contact with electrodes, the electrolyte solution, or a live wire. Never touch the wood, electrodes, or solution while the power source is energized — fully disconnect and wait before adjusting anything. Work on a dry, non-conductive floor, never work alone, and keep others away from a live setup. The American Association of Woodturners bans promoting or demonstrating this technique at its events.
Source: peer-reviewed case reports on fractal wood burning injuries and fatalities (PMC/NCBI, National Library of Medicine)
How Electricity Interacts With Wood
Wood itself is actually a poor conductor of electricity — which is exactly why burning a visible pattern into it requires the extreme voltages covered above rather than anything close to household current. Here is the real physics: how conductivity, moisture, and wood species affect resistance.
Conductivity And Resistance:
- Wood is generally considered a poor conductor of electricity due to its cellular structure and high resistance to electrical flow.
- The conductivity of wood varies depending on factors such as moisture content, species, and temperature.
- In its natural state, wood contains moisture, which increases its conductivity compared to dry wood.
- However, wood’s conductivity is still much lower than metals or other materials commonly used to conduct electricity.
Effects On Different Types Of Wood:
- Softwoods, such as pine or cedar, have a higher moisture content and generally exhibit higher conductivity compared to hardwoods.
- Moisture acts as a conductor in wood, so higher moisture content can increase its electrical conductivity.
- Hardwoods, such as oak or maple, have a lower moisture content and therefore lower conductivity compared to softwoods.
- The density and chemical composition of wood also affect its resistance to electrical currents.
- Wood with higher resistance will experience greater energy dissipation and less penetration of electrical currents.
Wood is a relatively poor conductor of electricity due to its high resistance, but its conductivity can vary depending on factors such as moisture content, species, and temperature. Softwoods generally exhibit higher conductivity than hardwoods due to their higher moisture content.
Understanding how electricity interacts with wood helps in various fields, such as woodworking, construction, and electrical engineering applications.
Why We Don’t Publish Wiring, Drilling, Or Power-Source Steps
Earlier versions of this page included instructions for wiring wood to a power supply, drilling holes for embedded wires, and connecting mains-level electricity to wood for lighting or “electrification” effects. We removed all of it. Running exposed conductive wire and mains-level current through or across untreated wood — whether for a Lichtenberg-style burn or an embedded-wiring lighting project — creates a real risk of electrocution and fire, not just for the person doing the wiring but for anyone who touches or displays the finished piece later. Since 2017, at least 33 documented deaths in the US have been linked to homemade high-voltage wood-burning rigs specifically, and the American Association of Woodturners bans demonstrating that technique at its events.
Two facts that apply specifically to the Lichtenberg/fractal-burning version of this:
- A GFCI outlet does not protect you. It monitors the transformer’s primary (input) wiring. The lethal output comes from the secondary coil, which is galvanically isolated from that circuit — the GFCI cannot detect a fault on the output side and will not trip.
- Unplugging the power source does not make it safe to touch. The capacitor paired with a microwave oven transformer stores a charge and can deliver a lethal shock long after the unit is disconnected from the wall.
Safer Ways To Get An Electrified Or Branching Look
If you want the visual effect of “electrified” or branching wood without wiring mains power into or through the piece:
- Pyrography (wood-burning) pen. Freehand a branching, lightning-like pattern at low, safe voltage.
- CNC laser engraver. Load or design a branching pattern and let the laser burn it in — no current passes through the workpiece or operator.
- Battery-powered LED strips or pucks, mounted on the surface (not embedded inside drilled channels) using low-voltage (5V/12V) products designed for that purpose, if the goal is a lit-up display piece.
Best Safe Wood-Burning Alternative
YIHUA 930-IV Pyrography Wood Burning Pen Kit – $15.99
This is the pyrography pen this guide recommends as the safe way to freehand a branching, lightning-like pattern — no transformer, no capacitor, no lethal current path.
- Best for: Freehanding a branching, lightning-like pattern at safe, low voltage
- Why we picked it: It replaces wiring mains power through wood, the exact risk this guide warns against
- Main drawback: Getting a symmetric branch pattern takes more practice than a jig-guided tool
Compare more safe alternatives
 Option 1 32-Piece Wood Burning Kit – $15.99
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 Option 2 CNCTOPBAOS Mini CNC Router – $119.99
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 Option 3 KIKO Battery-Powered LED Strip Lights – $24.99
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Frequently Asked Questions For How To Electrocute Wood
How Do You Make Lightning Effect On Wood?
To create a lightning effect on wood, you can use techniques such as wood burning or carving with a thin, jagged pattern.
What Is It Called When You Electrocute Wood?
“Electrifying” or “electrocuting” wood usually refers to the Lichtenberg/fractal-burning technique — passing high-voltage current through a conductive solution on the wood’s surface to burn branching patterns. It is not a real wood-preservation or durability treatment.
How To Do Fractal Burning On Wood?
We do not publish build steps for this. Fractal (Lichtenberg) burning uses a high-voltage transformer to burn branching patterns into wood, and at least 33 documented deaths in the US have been linked to homemade rigs since 2017 — a GFCI outlet does not protect you because the lethal output comes from a secondary coil that is electrically isolated from the circuit a GFCI monitors. See our full explanation of the risk for why we recommend a pyrography pen or CNC laser engraver instead for a similar branching look.
How Many Volts Do You Need To Burn Wood?
The voltage required to burn wood depends on various factors and cannot be determined precisely.
Conclusion
“Electrocuting wood” is not something to attempt at home — it is not a real durability treatment, and the technique people actually mean by the phrase (Lichtenberg/fractal burning) has killed at least 33 people since 2017. If you want the visual result — branching, lightning-like patterns or a lit-up display piece — get there with a pyrography pen, a CNC laser engraver, or surface-mounted battery LED strips instead. Each one gets you the branching, lightning-like look without running lethal current through the wood or the person holding it.
If you still want to understand how the dangerous version works before deciding against it, see our breakdown of building a Lichtenberg device and why fractal burning at home is genuinely lethal, not just risky.
