On Mon, 23 May 2005 20:02:44 -0400, (Jim Wild)
wrote:

Great question huh? In fact, I need to preserve this half way rotten
stump for a possible piece of art to be mounted on top of it. (On a
golf course) It is 3' in diameter at the base, 4' tall, but has a rotted
center that you could fit a bowling ball into. We are planning a very
large and expensive wood carving to be mounted on top of this stump.
Will filling the rotten middle with cement stop the rotting process for
at least a few years? If you can answer that one, your good.

Filling with concrete will make it rot faster, since it will hold more
moisture in the center. I think the only way to preserve it would be
to somehow saturate the wood with some sort of sealer/hardener. If it
were going into an indoor environment it might be pretty
straightforward, but outdoors (and I assume still rooted) you have a
real challenge on your hands.

I would start by removing as much of the rotted wood as possible then
start slopping Thompsons on it inside and out until it won't soak up
any more.

Realize that no matter what you do you are probably only looking at a
solution that will last a half-dozen years or so.

--
"We need to make a sacrifice to the gods, find me a young virgin... oh, and bring something to kill"

Tim Douglass

http://www.DouglassClan.com