Best wood for cold frame

[white_sw]

My missus has asked me to make her a couple of cold frames which will be in the garden all year round. Now, I haven't made any outdoor projects before and I'd like to ask for advise as to which wood and finish would be best suited for the project. I'd like to stay away from the tanalised softwood and use some kind of hardwood with a tough, lasting finish. Can anyone offer advice please ?

Thanks,
Sam

 

[9fingers]

Cedar is a classic wood for greenhouses etc if you can get it.
Iroko will last well but some people are sensitive to the dust when cutting/sanding but ok with mask or working in the open air.

HTH

Bob

PS always best to keep them off wet soil if poss especially end grain. Say up on a few bricks?

 

[woodbloke]

I'd go for iroko, but as Bob has said, be careful with the dust...nasty stuff :evil: - Rob

 

[wizer]

yep these are on my list and I'll be using Iroko. Hope to see the finished articles ?

 

[jimi43]

I would be tempted to just use treated deck wood.

a) it's cheap as chips

b) it really does last.

I made a fence of the stuff about 5 years ago...never treated it...haven't touched it at all and it is as good today as the day I put it up.

You can get the non-machined planks...i.e. the fillers not the actual decking and that is the cheapest. But getting from a woodyard not B&Q...that stuff is rubbish.

Unless of course you want it to be around next century :wink: then use a hardwood.

Cheers

Jim

 

[white_sw]

as usual guys, thanks for the quick replied. can anyone give me a rough idea of how much iroko costs ?

 

[9fingers]

I got some recently for £1000 per cu m - now that sounds frightening but
a cu metre is a lot of wood.

In old money that is about £28 per cu ft which sounds much better!

all plus vat ( buy now before the next budget!)

Bob

 

[wobblycogs]

I built a cold frame out of bog standard B&Q treated pine in 2006 and it's still going strong. Last time I looked at it there wasn't any rot but I probably should treatment it with something this autum. The mistake I made was covering it with poly-sheet which wasn't up to gettting baked in the sun. I really must put some perspex in at some point.

 

[9fingers]

I built a cold frame out of bog standard B&Q treated pine in 2006 and it's still going strong. Last time I looked at it there wasn't any rot but I probably should treatment it with something this autum. The mistake I made was covering it with poly-sheet which wasn't up to gettting baked in the sun. I really must put some perspex in at some point.

I suggest you go for UV stabilised polycarbonate. Perspex can shatter.
Polycarbonate is the stuff they make vandal resistant windows and displays from.

I bought my last lot from trent plastics (google). For my item it was cheaper on their ebay shop than direct from their website :?:

Bob

 

[maltrout512]

Here is one I made last year for a customer. Frame work 4*2 treated, T & G panels, lids sawn down 4 * 2 and perspex 8mm. Spray finish with water based coating. It is now being put to full use.

 

[Con Owen]

For the framework Cedarwood if you can get it. I purchased an Alton Cedarwood greenhouse 38 years ago and it is still in good condition. I actually went along for an aluminium Alton but at that time it was approx 15% more expensive than the cedarwood Alton.

Cheers
Con

 

[yetloh]

Western red cedar (not a true cedar) is the best material. It is still widely used for traditional greenhouses and cold frames. Because it is so oily it will last longer than you or I will, it is very easy to work, needs no painting and will weather to a nice silvery colour. What's not to like?

Jim

 

[jimi43]

Western red cedar (not a true cedar) is the best material. It is still widely used for traditional greenhouses and cold frames. Because it is so oily it will last longer than you or I will, it is very easy to work, needs no painting and will weather to a nice silvery colour. What's not to like?

Jim

In my search for WRC for the beehive I found it was...a tad expensive.

Granted it will last many lifetimes.

Jim

 

[squib]

I have found iroko to be very variable in terms of rot resistance,several years ago a client in the boatyard relaid his decks with iroko to save using teak, the rebuild took a further three years when he asked us to caulk the decks.......they were 2/3 rotten the other 1/3 was mint and there was no discernable difference in timber quality to the eye! western red cedar for me every time ,lovely to work just blunts your tools like crazy.

 

[OPJ]

as usual guys, thanks for the quick replied. can anyone give me a rough idea of how much iroko costs ?

Get a quote from Robbins and then subtract 10-20%!

There are several places around Bristol that stock it. The other two names that come to mind are Bristol City Timber (also near Ashton Gate) and possibly Scaddings though, I'm not sure; you'd have to check. Golding (Kingswood) might have it but I don't think you'd find it at Avon Ply?

 

[AndyT]

Another option would be Clark's in St Philips:

http://www.clarkswood.com

- their price list includes 'retail' alongside 'list' and 'bulk' suggesting they won't turn their noses up at small orders.