Wood for Garden Furniture

[Moses]

Hi all,

I want to build a picnic table for my garden. I have found plans online which call for 2x6 pieces of timber. Its my first time doing such a project. What timber should I buy that is suitable for outdoors, relatively cheap, fits the above measurements and is available in regular building supply stores?

Thanks

 

[Deadeye]

If your ambition is a standard pub-garden style table, then treated pine is generally the thing. Such as https://www.timberstoreltd.co.uk/product/treated-joists-47x150/

You need to treat the newly cut surfaces when you construct and think about your fixings for weatherproofness.

If you want to build a more individual piece, then oak. Oak will be much heavier and much more expensive than pine. I buy mine here https://www.scawtonsawmill.co.uk/oak---prime-air-dried---54mm-32-p.asp

If you choose the expensive route, then give your design disposable feet and make a spare set. Rot is a ground-contact issue in the first instance (it'll get anything in the end, but things in contact with the soil/patio will be first to go)

 

[TRITON]

I'm doing myself a wide chair, now I've had my little front garden paved. I've a pair of those cast bench sides, and im intending to use Afromosia to make the slats with.
Timber is reclaimed, found a bit of a bar top years ago and squirreled it away for just such a job.

Last time I looked, it was about 1/2 the price of teak, but that was many moons ago. It's considered very very suitable for outdoor use.
States you don't need a finish, Possibly will use teak oil as it wont be in the sun, but Scotland has a rather wet climate these days, so its going to live outside 365 and is going to get rained on a lot.
https://www.wood-database.com/afrormosia/

 

[Moses]

If your ambition is a standard pub-garden style table, then treated pine is generally the thing. Such as https://www.timberstoreltd.co.uk/product/treated-joists-47x150/

You need to treat the newly cut surfaces when you construct and think about your fixings for weatherproofness.

If you want to build a more individual piece, then oak. Oak will be much heavier and much more expensive than pine. I buy mine here https://www.scawtonsawmill.co.uk/oak---prime-air-dried---54mm-32-p.asp

If you choose the expensive route, then give your design disposable feet and make a spare set. Rot is a ground-contact issue in the first instance (it'll get anything in the end, but things in contact with the soil/patio will be first to go)

Thanks so much.
What do I use to treat new cuts and how do I weatherproof the fixings?

 

[Deadeye]

Thanks so much.
What do I use to treat new cuts and how do I weatherproof the fixings?

Something like https://www.toolstation.com/cut-end...m_medium=feed&utm_campaign=googleshoppingfeed
Fixings use brass, stainless or external glue

 

[Jacob]

You can use almost any old wood if you do it right.
No water traps . e.g. leave gaps between table top boards, space bolted components apart with brass washers etc
No glue - non rusting metal fixings only, or dowels in some circumstances
Feet off the ground on stone or metal
Paint all components before you put them together then paint it all again
Don't leave it out for too long in bad weather
Paint it once every two years or so - linseed oil paint is good, easy to apply and goes a long way.
etc....