I have an octagonal Homebase 'hardwood' table that's been in the
garden for 5 years or so, treated every 2 with some garden furniture
protector (probably cuprinol stuff). I've just noticed this year that
the centre cross members have gone spongy, obviously completely rotten
from the inside, while the rest of the wood, even the legs which
usually sit in the pools of water on the patio during heavy rain, are
fine and solid.

I take it the cross sections in the middle weren't made from a durable
hardwood, or should I expect it not to last more than 5 years?

Is there anything I could do to rescue it (other than replacing the
centre cross bars?) - would these wood hardener products help get
another year or so of life out of it or should I just scrap it and buy
something of better quality?

"Alan" wrote in message
oups.com...
I have an octagonal Homebase 'hardwood' table that's been in the
garden for 5 years or so, treated every 2 with some garden furniture
protector (probably cuprinol stuff). I've just noticed this year that
the centre cross members have gone spongy, obviously completely rotten
from the inside, while the rest of the wood, even the legs which
usually sit in the pools of water on the patio during heavy rain, are
fine and solid.

I take it the cross sections in the middle weren't made from a durable
hardwood, or should I expect it not to last more than 5 years?

Is there anything I could do to rescue it (other than replacing the
centre cross bars?) - would these wood hardener products help get
another year or so of life out of it or should I just scrap it and buy
something of better quality?


Hardwood does not mean rot proof.
Some hardwood is better at resisting rot than others but none do
particularly well in the UK as its damp.

It is best if you keep the cover on most of the time.