suitable timber for picnic table

[dedee]

I have just dismantled all the shelving from a very damp and humid underground wine cellar and I am left with this

There are 10 boards (3 not shown) at 68" (1.73m) x 9" (21.5cm) x 11/4" (27mm)

When cleaned up they look like this

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It is obviously a pine of some sort but apart from being a bit stained seems to have survived possibly 15 or so years in the wine cellar without any real signs of deterioration.

The missus wants a picnic table like this excellent example by creampuff (andy) post608798.html#p608798

I am not at all sure that 1" thick these boards will be strong enough especially for the seats. The top would be braced so no problems there. Perhaps I could brace the seats too? I'd welcome opinions on this.
I can rip the boards down easily enough to obtain a more suitable width but as the timber is all rough sawn it will require a lot of cleaning up. I may have to buy a thicknesser to do this as although doable by hand I am not at all sure I am want that amount of work.

I also found this under the shelves but on the basis of it's plastic cork it could not have been a fine wine when it was new so I will not be trying it. The contents are also VERY cloudy

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Cheers


Andy

 

[Creampuff]

Hi Dedee
Nice bit of timber you have there, it doesnt look like it needs alot of cleaning up to me, coulnt you just get away with attacking it with a belt sander rather then running it through a planer thicknesser?

As for the thickness of the timber, mine ended up at a little under 1.5inch and going by how sturdy mine is, i'd say 1" should be fine.

Good luck with the build mate

Andy

 

[Benchwayze]

The thickness is fine, but if it does worry you, place cross-brace supports under the seat stretchers, every 18" or so, to prevent too much sagging. You never know, you might have a guest sometime who weighs as much as me! (19 stones) I blame the lettuce. :mrgreen:

The colour is very reminiscent of Cedarwood, but it looks a bit too 'knotty'. On the other hand, if it smells like freshly sharpened pencils then it will be cedar and you won't have any problem with durability. Also cedar weathers to a lovely grey colour; like a pine-moth's wings.
HTH
John

 

[dedee]

Thanks John, definitely not cedar wood, I've used that before and the characteristic smell is not there. I'm off to have a look at some chestnut boards later in the week if the proce is right I will use them.

Andy