Woodworker's Journal 2004 Summer, страница 8

Woodworking for the Great Outdoors

When it comes to lumber; glues and finishes, a few smart choices on the front end will add years of life to your exterior furniture.

By Chris Marshall

Choosing Outdoor-tough Lumber

Most furniture lumber can withstand a season or two outdoors before rot takes hold, especially under a couple of coats of primer and paint. However, a handful of lumber species have natural tannins and extractives that make them especially well suited for exterior use, with or without a finish applied. Some are easy to find regardless of where you live, while others are in shorter supply. Here are your best options:

Redwood

Redwood is still available in Western states, but you won't typically find it stocked in the lumberyard elsewhere in the country. Tannins and natural oils in the wood resist fungal decay and insect pests. Once prized as the premier lumber for siding, exterior furniture and deck construction, first-growth redwood is a rare commodity these days with a premium price tag. What you're more likely to find now is second-growth wood from younger, faster growing redwood trees. It's still a durable wood

Old-growth redwood is now protected and can be hard to find as lumber. Recycled planks from old barns are often the best source for this precious timber.

for outdoor use, but it has a higher percentage of sapwood than the lumber that came from its mammoth forebears a hundred years ago. Old-growth redwood ranges in color from tobacco brown to deep crimson, but second-growth redwood is more typically a mix of reddish heartwood and lighter sapwood. The wood is fine-grained and surprisingly lightweight. Old-growth lumber is often knot-free.

Redwood is a softwood that's easy to mill with sharp blades and bits, but dull cutters produce splinters and lift the grain. Be sure to wear a mask when working

One advantage to outdoor furniture is that, on the whole, it's easier to build than indoor furniture. But even with easier construction, what's critical to the success of patio or yard furniture is how it stands up to the elements over time. Sunlight, water damage and insects can spell doom for outdoor projects unless you make some preemptive material decisions before you build. Choose wisely, and that Adirondack settee you make this month for the kids will probably still be around when they graduate high school. Here's a short study on choosing outdoor woods, adhesives, hardware and finishes so you can get your project off on the right foot and ensure that it will live a long, useful life.

Photos courtesy California Redwood Association

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Outdoor Projects Summer 2004 £