Timber for outside?

[Welderpaul]

I've got some benches to do for home, we've got some nice old cast iron ends.

Whats the best timber to use? Something which won't rot or go all twisty. I don't want to paint the timber, so something that will just take a clear sealer or whatever?

 

[Gragson]

Watching with interest, I'm on 3rd lot of rubbish planking for the cast iron ends.

 

[nickk]

Teak,kerouin,something with natural oils in.

 

[Gragson]

Something like this then? - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/23476638...MoHF8kilUZejfuSfORobQHaAkb|tkp:Bk9SR5CbsdKNYQ

Even tho yacht varnished, the ones I have made up previously start rotting first at the bolt holes, think I will brass sleeve them this time, especially for more costly wood. - Sorry for the hijack

 

[Bullet2012]

Cedar

 

[Ton-up]

Iroko

 

[Robotstar5]

Iroko

And with a couple of coats of Osmo Polyx it looks good

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Sapelle maybe.
Red grandis seems to hold up well.

 

[roblane65]

Problem with cedar is it's bit soft , good for cladding and such but not much good for bolting up .

 

[Shiny Steve]

We mill oak and sweet chestnut as locally sourced external timber. Sometimes larch and western red cedar for cladding.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

I've got some benches to do for home, we've got some nice old cast iron ends.

Whats the best timber to use? Something which won't rot or go all twisty. I don't want to paint the timber, so something that will just take a clear sealer or whatever?

Avoid varnishing the finished benches, I made that mistake with ones at he golf Club....
This eBay seller might have something you like the look of? CLICKY

 

[gaz1]

oak or cedar but note even the decking wood is just as good

but if you want it to last longer use oak

 

[nickk]

I’ve been very disappointed with the oak I’ve bought over the last 23 years,it’s rotted to the point where the edges of 4” thick blocks have gone mushy .

 

[Parm]

I made 2 garden benches with cast iron ends and iroko 17 years ago

Timber was 130 years old

Still going strong

 

[oilcooled :)]

Larch weathers well used in low loader floors

 

[Mike Pinches]

I'm not sure exactly why but ferrous metal when in contact with wood causes it to rot, particularly if it gets damp. This is why high quality wooden boats use bronze for all the metalwork that contacts the timber.

There isn't much you can do to stop the end of the slats touching the frames, but if you use bronze bolts it would reduce the risk of the slats rotting through at the bolt holes.

 

[8ob]

Oak as with any of the hardwoods is good, trouble is the best bit is the heartwood and that normally ends up in beams leaving the sapwood planked up which isn't so clever.

Bob

 

[highseas]

Composite decking boards ripped down

 

[nickk]

How long a lifespan do you want?
This has been outside since 1973,when my parents bought it from John Lewis,never had any maintenance,you can see the screws are bronze,pay a lot,pay once.

 

[Newlands]

I’d go for iroko as it’s relatively cheap and very durable. I did two of these benches about twenty years ago and they have been sat outside with no treatment apart from an occasional pressure wash. Teak is just too expensive these days unless your name happens to be @Keith 66