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Alternatives to Western Red Cedar for outdoor furniture.

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  • 20-12-2017 12:40pm
    #1
    ZenBicycle81
    Registered Users Posts: 3 ✭


    Hello all, I am aiming to start building pieces of outdoor furniture; benches and swings and such. Therefore the timber needs to support strong structures and also be fairly weather resistant.
    The guide I have been looking at recommends I use Western Red Cedar, although this is very pricey and since I am just starting out and may possibly make some mistakes I would prefer to use something less costly.
    Also it has so far been difficult to source the Red Cedar. I would like to use wood that is reasonably available.
    Can anyone make recommendations? This could include also treating wood.
    Thanks in advance.


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    #2
    Jamesgrace
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 67 ✭✭Jamesgrace


    European Larch is good outside but can twist in small sections. Oak is great but unstable and requires stainless steel fixings. Douglas fir is reasonable but not suitable for contact with the ground. Cedar is the weakest of all of these


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    #3
    recipio
    Registered Users Posts: 2,804 ✭✭✭recipio


    Whole tree trunks would give it a rustic look and larch is ideal for that.Otherwise I would use pressure treated softwood for the structural elements. Anything else will cost too much. You could use Iroko for smooth surfaces like swings and slides although it is a bit brittle under load.


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    #4
    MathsManiac
    Registered Users Posts: 1,595 ✭✭✭MathsManiac


    Jamesgrace wrote: »
    European Larch is good outside but can twist in small sections. Oak is great but unstable and requires stainless steel fixings. Douglas fir is reasonable but not suitable for contact with the ground. Cedar is the weakest of all of these

    I'm curious - what is it about oak that makes it require stainless steel fixings?


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    #5
    tabby aspreme
    Registered Users Posts: 3,990 ✭✭✭tabby aspreme


    MathsManiac wrote: »
    I'm curious - what is it about oak that makes it require stainless steel fixings?

    The high level of tannic acid in oak will rust mild steel and where the mild steel contacts the Oak the wood turns dark blue / black in color, brass screws and fittings would have been used with oak traditionally. Outdoor oak joinery would often have no metal used in its construction with pegged or wedged tenons being one example.


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