Which wood should I buy

[DiscoStu]

I'm looking to make an outdoor table. I know teak is the traditional wood and iroko is also favoured but I wondered what other woods are OK to use outside? I'm happy to apply a couple of coats of oil etc to protect it.

I'm ideally after a hardwood that isn't going to cripple me financially!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Crispylettuce]

What about Iroko?

I only suggest that as this was suggested to me a while back when I was looking to make a garden table.

As it turns out I never actually started the table!

Disclaimer: I'm a novice!

Sent from my MotoG3 using Tapatalk

 

[Kalimna]

It might be a bit expensive, and a little "out there", but purpleheart is pretty good against the elements.

Adam

 

[Bodgers]

A lot of the hardwood in cheaper garden furniture is Acacia. Sepele is cheap and would have a similar outdoor furniture 'look'. To be honest Oak is plentiful, probably as cheap (or cheaper than all these options in the UK) and would do well outside.

http://www.woodworkersuk.co.uk/timber-durability.htm

 

[Woody2Shoes]

Another - realtively eco-friendly - option might be sweet chestnut. Every bit as durable as oak and - ideally - coppiced - somewhere not too many "wood miles" away in SE England, it ought to be inexpensive. Cheers, W2S

 

[DiscoStu]

I'd just assumed oak would be very expensive. Thanks for the options so far. Sepele would be interesting as I quite like the look of it. All ideas welcome. Thanks guys.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[squib]

Green oak is good for more rustic designs, Larch is fairly good outside as is Red Cedar ,all can be sourced locally and are sustainable.
I have had very good result treating timber outside with Thompsons, or other brand, water seal (although their new stuff is water based and doesn't do the same thing), it is colourless so oak stays pale and will eventually silver rather than go black.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I wouldn't discount softwood. I bought a locally, (fairly) well made garden table 18yrs ago, and when I left it when I sold the house 3yrs ago it was still flawless. I changed the steel screws for brass as they were screwed down through the top into the bearers (bad practice - should be the other way around) and stuck flashbanding on the bottoms of the feet - other than a wash and a treatment once every 3 or 4 years, that was it. I'd put money on it being there in 10 - 15 yrs time. Whatever you go with, it doesn't hurt to soak well with preservative your cut ends, any joints and drilled holes. If you use any stainless steel fixings don't mix them with galvanize - in contact the galvanize will come off and the bare steel will rust.

 

[Chip shop]

I made this...



...10 years ago, out of western red cedar. It's never had any treatment or finish applied. Funnily enough, I was looking at it the other day while fitting a deck and, other than the usual silvering, it's still sound. I'm not advocating not treating exterior joinery, just highlighting the durability of western red.

Cheers,

Ed.

 

[RobinBHM]

The most durable timber for outside use that is available and maybe affordable is iroko, Pricing is about £1,100 per metre cube + VAT (£31+vat per cube foot)

Siberian larch is very durable and is around the £800+vat mark

WR cedar is of course very durable but is also very soft.

Douglas fir is quite durable, similar price to iroko

Sapele and Utile are same price as iroko but are only moderately durable

idigbo -leaches sap so not suitable

movingue -same issue

red grandis and meranti -not very durable

 

[Benchwayze]

I made this...



...10 years ago, out of western red cedar. It's never had any treatment or finish applied. Funnily enough, I was looking at it the other day while fitting a deck and, other than the usual silvering, it's still sound. I'm not advocating not treating exterior joinery, just highlighting the durability of western red.

Cheers,

Ed.

+1 for western red cedar.
Linseed oil every couple of years keeps it fresh, but is by no means necessary to avoid rot. It just doesn't rot; goes the colour of moonlight on a pine-hawk moth's wings! Looks great.

 

[DiscoStu]

I did see the Wood Whisperer video and I think he used Red Cedar. Thanks for all the info - especially with an idea on costs.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Fitzroy]

I made this...



...10 years ago, out of western red cedar. It's never had any treatment or finish applied. Funnily enough, I was looking at it the other day while fitting a deck and, other than the usual silvering, it's still sound. I'm not advocating not treating exterior joinery, just highlighting the durability of western red.

Cheers,

Ed.

For god's sake man give me fair warning. I clicked the link to the image and then the next arrow thinking there would be more pictures of the table and a semi naked woman appeared, the work internet police will be round me desk any moment now!

I made a garden table last year out of some old oak lorry bearers, wood cost me about £50 for the lot, it was some effort to dress it etc but the rustic finish works well in the garden. I often also see 'air-dried' local hardwoods on gumtree for a much lower price, unlikely to be such high quality and more likely to split due to 'air-drying' meaning stood in my back yard for a year or so. But for a garden table it may not matter, depending on the look you are aiming for.

My Effort

 

[Bodgers]

I'd just assumed oak would be very expensive. Thanks for the options so far. Sepele would be interesting as I quite like the look of it. All ideas welcome. Thanks guys.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

In a lot of parts of the world, it will be. But if you look at price lists of Sawn oak from most hardwood suppliers in the UK Oak pretty much beats all other hardwoods other than Ash and Beech on price. Especially if you buy from oak 'specialists' like Scawton Sawmill here in North Yorkshire. You can get 5, 27mm thick, 120mm wide, 2.1 minimum length boards of French oak here for less than £50...

 

[memzey]

What about ipe? Meant to be very durable and available from most places that do decking.

 

[Droogs]

or opepe somtimes called ballinga

 

[DiscoStu]

I'm quite liking Red Cedar and Oak options at the moment.

Fitzroy - I very much like your table. Mine would be quite as heavy duty and I want some panels to be removable as I want to have troughs under the table to fill with ice and bottles. I'm even thinking of getting clear tubs for the troughs so I can put some colour changing LED lights inside!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[John15]

Oak is very durable I believe. I made a park style garden bench with some about 3 years ago. I have left it natural without any treatment and it looks really nice.

John