Preserving An Old Tree Stumps
 

Wife has had a large plant pot sitting on an old tree stump and of course
the stump has almost reached the point where it will have to be dug up. I
actually like the look of this old stump and I'm wondering if anyone can
give me some hints on how I might be able to make it structurally sound so
it will last a few more year without it costing me an arm and a leg. I have
heard of resin products used by restores to make old rooten wood hard and
stable but I imagine I would cost me a bundle to use a specialty product
like that. The stump is about 12 inches in diameter and stand no more than
a foot above ground level.

I'm probably wasting my time on a silly project but if anyone has any ideas
I would appreciate their input.

Jimbo

"Jimbo" wrote in message
...
Wife has had a large plant pot sitting on an old tree stump and of course
the stump has almost reached the point where it will have to be dug up. I
actually like the look of this old stump and I'm wondering if anyone can
give me some hints on how I might be able to make it structurally sound so
it will last a few more year without it costing me an arm and a leg. I
have
heard of resin products used by restores to make old rooten wood hard and
stable but I imagine I would cost me a bundle to use a specialty product
like that. The stump is about 12 inches in diameter and stand no more
than
a foot above ground level.

I'm probably wasting my time on a silly project but if anyone has any
ideas
I would appreciate their input.

Jimbo



If you can find it in your area, the West Systems Epoxy Product would
petrify the product above the ground. It won't stop the rot from below the
ground. Should cost about $50 for the small size. How long it would last in
this application I wouldn't want to guess.

What we did years ago in a similar situation was to build a wooden,
bottomless flower box around a stump and fill it with dirt. We used scrap
untreated 2X material. By the time the box rotted the stump had also.

Colbyt

On Sun, 1 May 2005 21:57:50 -0400, "Jimbo"
wrote:
Wife has had a large plant pot sitting on an old tree stump and of course
the stump has almost reached the point where it will have to be dug up. I
actually like the look of this old stump and I'm wondering if anyone can
give me some hints on how I might be able to make it structurally sound so
it will last a few more year without it costing me an arm and a leg. I have
heard of resin products used by restores to make old rooten wood hard and
stable but I imagine I would cost me a bundle to use a specialty product
like that. The stump is about 12 inches in diameter and stand no more than
a foot above ground level.

I'm probably wasting my time on a silly project but if anyone has any ideas
I would appreciate their input.

What you're referring to, I think, is CPES (Clear Pentrating Epoxy
Sealer). It's common in the marine and log home industry to stabilize
rotting/damaged wood.

http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/decoder_CPES.htm

CPES is a tradename but there are lots of similar formulas sold under
a variety of different trade names. Basically it's an epoxy resin
suspended in a solvent that penetrates dried out wood. It's not super
expensive but some of the base solvents are a HazMat nightmare. I've
also heard of people making their wood stabilizers by mixing Plastic
Wood and acetone.

Google on "Clear Pentrating Epoxy Sealer".

Steve Manes
Brooklyn, NY
http://www.magpie.com/house

"Jimbo" wrote in message
...
Wife has had a large plant pot sitting on an old tree stump and of course
the stump has almost reached the point where it will have to be dug up. I
actually like the look of this old stump and I'm wondering if anyone can
give me some hints on how I might be able to make it structurally sound so
it will last a few more year without it costing me an arm and a leg. I
have heard of resin products used by restores to make old rooten wood hard
and stable but I imagine I would cost me a bundle to use a specialty
product like that. The stump is about 12 inches in diameter and stand no
more than a foot above ground level.

I'm probably wasting my time on a silly project but if anyone has any
ideas I would appreciate their input.

Jimbo

Marine Stores probably carry what you need, but I would guess the price
would be quite high.

Jimbo wrote:
Wife has had a large plant pot sitting on an old tree stump and of
course
the stump has almost reached the point where it will have to be dug
up. I
actually like the look of this old stump and I'm wondering if anyone
can
give me some hints on how I might be able to make it structurally
sound so
it will last a few more year without it costing me an arm and a leg.
I have
heard of resin products used by restores to make old rooten wood hard
and
stable but I imagine I would cost me a bundle to use a specialty
product
like that. The stump is about 12 inches in diameter and stand no
more than
a foot above ground level.

I'm probably wasting my time on a silly project but if anyone has any
ideas
I would appreciate their input.

Jimbo

Colbyt has it right. It isn't the top that will fail, it is the below
ground part. You didn't say how old it is but if the top is looking
shaky, the roots are probably just about gone.

Harry K

Thanks for all the input

Jimbo


"Harry K" wrote in message
oups.com...

Jimbo wrote:
Wife has had a large plant pot sitting on an old tree stump and of
course
the stump has almost reached the point where it will have to be dug
up. I
actually like the look of this old stump and I'm wondering if anyone
can
give me some hints on how I might be able to make it structurally
sound so
it will last a few more year without it costing me an arm and a leg.
I have
heard of resin products used by restores to make old rooten wood hard
and
stable but I imagine I would cost me a bundle to use a specialty
product
like that. The stump is about 12 inches in diameter and stand no
more than
a foot above ground level.

I'm probably wasting my time on a silly project but if anyone has any
ideas
I would appreciate their input.

Jimbo

Colbyt has it right. It isn't the top that will fail, it is the below
ground part. You didn't say how old it is but if the top is looking
shaky, the roots are probably just about gone.

Harry K

On 2 May 2005 06:51:59 -0700, "Harry K"
wrote:


Jimbo wrote:
Wife has had a large plant pot sitting on an old tree stump and of
course
the stump has almost reached the point where it will have to be dug
up. I
actually like the look of this old stump and I'm wondering if anyone
can
give me some hints on how I might be able to make it structurally
sound so
it will last a few more year without it costing me an arm and a leg.
I have
heard of resin products used by restores to make old rooten wood hard
and
stable but I imagine I would cost me a bundle to use a specialty
product
like that. The stump is about 12 inches in diameter and stand no
more than
a foot above ground level.

I'm probably wasting my time on a silly project but if anyone has any
ideas
I would appreciate their input.

Jimbo

Colbyt has it right. It isn't the top that will fail, it is the below
ground part. You didn't say how old it is but if the top is looking
shaky, the roots are probably just about gone.

Harry K

Drill the stump with about three small vertical 1/4 inch holes
with a long drill bit and then insert some 24inch long 1/4in
reinforcing rods thru the holes to where the rods stick up 1/8inch.
Then cover the top with 1/8 inch deep clear epoxy, just covering the
rods. Should last for a few more years.

actually like the look of this old stump and I'm wondering
if anyone can give me some hints on how I might be able
to make it structurally sound so it will last a few more
year without it costing me an arm and a leg.
[reformatted for readability]


Build a cardboard/pressboard box around the stump.
FIll the box with expanding foam. Come back the next day,
and pull the box and foam off. (You'll probably have to cut
the foam into quarters.) Flip your new mold over, put it back
in the box, and fill it with cement. End of the week,
get four or five guys to (A) help dig out the old stump, and
(B) roll your concrete replica over to replace it.

Paint the replica to suit.