Hi

I wonder which woods would be good for garden use. The existing treated
softwood is well rotten, and it seems sensible to use something with
better life. I'm not worried what colour the wood is, just that it
lasts a more sensible time. None of this wood rests on the ground.

ty, NT

wrote:
Hi

I wonder which woods would be good for garden use. The existing
treated softwood is well rotten, and it seems sensible to use
something with better life. I'm not worried what colour the wood is,
just that it lasts a more sensible time. None of this wood rests on
the ground.

ty, NT

What are you using the 'wood' for?

This will have a bearing on the advice that you are given.


Brian G

On 9 Apr 2006 15:48:26 -0700, wrote:

I wonder which woods would be good for garden use.

Hard to give a general answer for, as it depends on the size, the amount
of "aging" that's acceptable, how long you want it to last, how much you
want to spend, and whether you're going to bury it.

Good timbers to look at are larch or sweet chestnut. Larch is the
general timber for framing work these days and lasts well owing to its
high resin content making it simply waterproof. Dirt cheap too -
probably the cheapest usable timber you can buy.

Chestnut is a hardwood, which is always an advantage for
weatherproofing, and it's resistant to fungal attack. Better looking
than softwoods too.

Brian G wrote:
wrote:

I wonder which woods would be good for garden use.

What are you using the 'wood' for?

Growing them round edible things on.

On 9 Apr 2006 15:48:26 -0700, wrote:

Hi

I wonder which woods would be good for garden use. The existing treated
softwood is well rotten, and it seems sensible to use something with
better life. I'm not worried what colour the wood is, just that it
lasts a more sensible time. None of this wood rests on the ground.

ty, NT

I like Teak for outdoors, being highly resistant to outdoor effects.
It's grown commercially now but still expensive.
--
Regards,
Mike Halmarack

Drop the (EGG) to email me.

Weatherlawyer wrote:
Brian G wrote:
wrote:

I wonder which woods would be good for garden use.

What are you using the 'wood' for?

Growing them round edible things on.

yes unfortunately. Its for seating.

NT

wrote:
Weatherlawyer wrote:
Brian G wrote:
wrote:

I wonder which woods would be good for garden use.

What are you using the 'wood' for?

Growing them round edible things on.

yes unfortunately. Its for seating.

90% of exotic hardwood is illegally (and disasterously) logged. Just
get some treated timber and re-treat the end grain you make cuts on.
Then teat the stuff you drill for screwing and then treat the whole
thing again.

See if you can get treated cedar. Easy to work. Otherwise red pine is
the best for outdoor use as it absorbs preservative more easily than
white (the stock builder's timber.)

wrote in message
oups.com...
Weatherlawyer wrote:
Brian G wrote:
wrote:

I wonder which woods would be good for garden use.

What are you using the 'wood' for?

Growing them round edible things on.

yes unfortunately. Its for seating.

I used English oak for that. Oak has been a managed timber since the days
when it was vital to our shipbuilding industry and it is cost effective, if
you take into account its life when compared to treated softwoods.

Colin Bignell

On 9 Apr 2006 15:48:26 -0700, wrote:

Hi

I wonder which woods would be good for garden use. The existing treated
softwood is well rotten, and it seems sensible to use something with
better life. I'm not worried what colour the wood is, just that it
lasts a more sensible time. None of this wood rests on the ground.

ty, NT

Hi,

Where did the existing softwood come from, also were any cut ends
treated too?

Softwood that is Tanalith-E treated should be fine, try a good timber
merchants.

See also:
http://groups.google.co.uk/groups?q=%22pete+c%22+cuprinol+green&hl=en

FWIW I have some treated 2x4 outdoors with the ends dipped in the
above, no rot or softness after ~5 yrs.

cheers,
Pete.

Pete C wrote:
On 9 Apr 2006 15:48:26 -0700, wrote:

I wonder which woods would be good for garden use. The existing treated
softwood is well rotten, and it seems sensible to use something with
better life.

Where did the existing softwood come from, also were any cut ends
treated too?

I really have no idea, but it was probably rock bottom cost stuff. It
lasted maybe 10 years before disintegrating, and I want to do rather
better this time. Its 2 x 1/2"

After reading the various suggestions offered, I realise I wouldnt know
one wood species from another, have not the least faith in getting what
I'm told it is, and really wouldnt know which of the suggestions to
choose anyway. Nor where to go to buy anything other than spruce and
pine. So I feel fairly clueless really.


Softwood that is Tanalith-E treated should be fine, try a good timber
merchants.

FWIW I have some treated 2x4 outdoors with the ends dipped in the
above, no rot or softness after ~5 yrs.

I might end up going with that option, but its really not what I want.


NT

Pete C wrote:
On 9 Apr 2006 15:48:26 -0700, wrote:

I wonder which woods would be good for garden use. The existing treated
softwood is well rotten, and it seems sensible to use something with
better life.

Where did the existing softwood come from, also were any cut ends
treated too?

I really have no idea, but it was probably rock bottom cost stuff. It
lasted maybe 10 years before disintegrating, and I want to do rather
better this time. Its 2 x 1/2"

After reading the various suggestions offered, I realise I wouldnt know
one wood species from another, have not the least faith in getting what
I'm told it is, and really wouldnt know which of the suggestions to
choose anyway. Nor where to go to buy anything other than spruce and
pine. So I feel fairly clueless really.


Softwood that is Tanalith-E treated should be fine, try a good timber
merchants.

FWIW I have some treated 2x4 outdoors with the ends dipped in the
above, no rot or softness after ~5 yrs.

I might end up going with that option, but its really not what I want.


NT

wrote:

I really have no idea, but it was probably rock bottom cost stuff. It
lasted maybe 10 years before disintegrating, and I want to do rather
better this time. Its 2 x 1/2"

After reading the various suggestions offered, I realise I wouldnt know
one wood species from another, have not the least faith in getting what
I'm told it is, and really wouldnt know which of the suggestions to
choose anyway. Nor where to go to buy anything other than spruce and
pine. So I feel fairly clueless really.

What the timber sounded like was roofing lath. It is an excellent
choice for seating but the finish is rough.

It would be a simple enough job to put a nice finish on it though.
(Well a reasonable one at least) Just buy an electric hand plane and
take a little off the face and edges.

Then set the blade to very shallow cut by winding the body work in,
then take a small arris off the top edges.

To get anything like the same durability for any other timber will
require you to take them in for the winter and treat them every spring.


That 10 years use was due to the tanalising treatment they get. A baton
like that in a roof will last indefinitely. They only fail after years
of loose and cracked tiles allow the weather to get at them.

On 12 Apr 2006 18:02:04 -0700, wrote:


Softwood that is Tanalith-E treated should be fine, try a good timber
merchants.

FWIW I have some treated 2x4 outdoors with the ends dipped in the
above, no rot or softness after ~5 yrs.

I might end up going with that option, but its really not what I want.

Hi,

Pitch pine would have better rot resistance than cheap softwood
because of the higher resin content. A reclaimers yard should have it,
or even some oak too at much cheaper than new prices.

Another way might be to get some green oak, saw it up, remove any
sapwood, air dry, plane it and use that. Bit of a labour of love
though.

If you need fairly short small pieces it might worth getting a
relatively knot free new oak sleeper and working around the knots. Try
local garden centres, Ebay or phoning around any local sawmills.

cheers,
Pete.

meow2222 wrote:
After reading the various suggestions offered, I realise I wouldnt know
one wood species from another, have not the least faith in getting what
I'm told it is, and really wouldnt know which of the suggestions to
choose anyway. Nor where to go to buy anything other than spruce and
pine. So I feel fairly clueless really.

What are you making again? Could you rip down a new (untreated)
oak railway sleeper?

wrote:
Weatherlawyer wrote:

ah, thanks. I thought oak or cedar might last well, but I dont really
know. I left this job for the mo and got on with other things, and now
I've been offered some felled holly. Is this usable? IOW will it
survive ok? I gather holly isnt too stable, but it is hardwood and its
free.

I did think about planing a load of rough tanalised, would rather go
with the holly if it'll last as well. Was thinking of splitting it
instead of sawing.

I have no idea. If it is treated properly it will last whatever the
species. But tanalising is a pressure treatment. Merely painting
preservative on the surface does very little unless you replace it
every year.

Why not comb related newsgroups and see if it would be better giving it
to someone with a lathe or something.

wrote:

I did think about planing a load of rough tanalised, would rather go
with the holly if it'll last as well. Was thinking of splitting it
instead of sawing.

May I suggest that if you are going to plane tanalised timber,
that you wear a mask. Otherwise you could ingest enough poison to
make you ill.

Nick wrote:
wrote:

I did think about planing a load of rough tanalised, would rather go
with the holly if it'll last as well. Was thinking of splitting it
instead of sawing.

May I suggest that if you are going to plane tanalised timber,
that you wear a mask. Otherwise you could ingest enough poison to
make you ill.

ooh, hadnt thought of that.

One thing that stops me planing tanalised is that the preserved wood
layer would probably just get planed off.

I give up! No way do I want to paint this thing each year.


NT

wrote:

One thing that stops me planing tanalised is that the preserved wood
layer would probably just get planed off.

I give up! No way do I want to paint this thing each year.

Plane it outside. You only want a thin smidgeon taking off to make it
look presentable.

If the timber is allowed to dry straight away after rain it won't rot
quickly. It's when it's left on bare soil and covered in leaves that it
goes manky. It would be quicker to make another seat every 5 or so
years than paint it, pretty nearly.

The trick is to enjoy making them.