Which wood to use for planters

[Graeme]

Hi one and all, Happy New Year!!!

I have been thinking about making some planters for myself, recreational carpentry, instead of doing eveything for everyone else.

I got to thinking about wood and thought I would throw the subject open to the collective knowledge and guidance.

Any suggestions about nice looking and durable(ish) wood, possibly even somthing a bit more unusal?

Help as allways greatfully received.

Cheers
Graeme

 

[srp]

Teak (if you can afford it), oak (English for preference, or euro, but not american red or white), iroko if you can stand the peppery smell and dust when you machine it. Or pressure treated softwood. All would benefit from an annual soak in something like Cuprinol 5 star (a clear preservative) or something like Sadolin if you don't mind a pigmented finish.

 

[tomouse]

As above I'd go with Iroko as it's a good cheap 'oily' timber. Teak is silly expensive (around £130 a cube if you can find it).

Failing those Idigbo (sp!) purpleheart or green Oak. Any hardwood would be fine if you treat it well enough......

 

[Guggs]

I would try Keruing ,Iroko ,Cedar,Meranti,Utile(Sapele) or Oak . I would avoid Idigbo as it is a moderate(ish) hardwood .

 

[Shane]

I'd go for Iroko for the durability

I would avoid Idigbo as it is a moderate(ish) hardwood .

And it looks 'orrible as well as being horrid to work, it's the cheapest hardwood for a reason

 

[jimi43]

Western red cedar is lovely and will outlast your lifetime but is expensive (ish)

Google "western red cedar" will show up a supplier near you

I like the look of this wood and it is the most durable of softwoods...popular in North America/Canada for decking.

Jim

 

[joiner_sim]

Vincent Timber, Birmingham are a good supplier of western red cedar.

 

[Deansocial]

there is accoya but very expensive for planters, Will last decades though

 

[wills-mill]

Western red is lovely timber, very stable, easy to work and lightweight. We mill quite a lot of it for raised beds, benches, shingles and cladding. The advantages of local UK grown are that you're not running massive transport mileages, you're not felling old growth primeval forest and that you're supporting local jobs and skills.....

 

[jimi43]

Western red is lovely timber, very stable, easy to work and lightweight. We mill quite a lot of it for raised beds, benches, shingles and cladding. The advantages of local UK grown are that you're not running massive transport mileages, you're not felling old growth primeval forest and that you're supporting local jobs and skills.....

Hi Wills-Mills

Come the Spring I shall be looking around for a WRC supplier....I need to build some outdoor projects including a beehive.

Do you have a website or contact details.?

I am sure a lot here would be interested.


Jim

 

[wills-mill]

I'd be delighted to do regular batches of boards that are the correct thickness for hives, they're such lovely and practical objects. Does the Western red help control voroa (Spelling?), all I know is that bees are very sensitive to pressure treated timber.

My contact details are on my profile or http://www.wills-mill.co.uk

 

[jimi43]

I'd be delighted to do regular batches of boards that are the correct thickness for hives, they're such lovely and practical objects. Does the Western red help control voroa (Spelling?), all I know is that bees are very sensitive to pressure treated timber.

My contact details are on my profile or http://www.wills-mill.co.uk

Thanks for the information Will...a site I have now bookmarked for future use and come the Spring will be over to have a chat.

As far as I know...WRC has been used for traditional beehives because of its outdoor durability. Yes, bees are very sensitive to any chemical treatments. I believe some are available that are "bee friendly" and there are a LOT of experts on this very forum as I found out....they will be sure to chip in.

Sorry OP for the brief hijack there...very interesting contact though...thanks mate

Jim

 

[kirkpoore1]

Cypress should work. Of course, I don't know that you can get it there, though.

Kirk

 

[wills-mill]

Cypress should work. Of course, I don't know that you can get it there, though.

Kirk

Yup, there are a few cypresses that are grown commercially, we've used quite a lot of Lawsons Cypress (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana)over the last year. I think it's known as Port Orford Cedar in the States and is very highly regarded as regards durability. Sequoia/ Redwood grows well over here, it likes our damp climate... so most of the coastal and swamp softwoods from the US do well.
Most of the hedging conifers have got really nice durable timber- the dreaded hedging hybrid leylandii is fantastic!

 

[The_Stig]

I'd go with either the iroko or oak option although you could also try using something like balau or purpleheart as I've seen that done lots of times. I made a few a couple of years ago, I made them out of oak and then used balau for the bottoms. When I get home I'll post up a few photos to show you how they turned out.

 

[The_Stig]

Here you go.

Personally I think some turned spheres on the tops of the post would have finished them off nicely but unfortunately I don't have a lathe.