Good wood for outdoor piece

[jussi]

Looking to build an outdoor flower stand. What's a good inexpensive species to use? Redwood?

[JR]

Yep, redwood is good for outdoor projects. It's readily available in SoCal and modestly priced. It will withstand th elements very well, even if left unfinished.

JR

[Rich P]

Just be sure to use "contruction heart", aka "con heart" if you want it to last. It will have no sapwood and all tight knots. You may be able to find a non-rated grade that comes close. Just no white sapwood please. Untreated sapwood will be gone in a few years.

[Uncle Cracker]

+1 on the redwood. Cypress is another that comes to mind, but I think redwood would be best (if a woodchuck would chuck wood...)

[toolbelt diva]

Definitely redwood. How much is it in CA? I was quoted $27 per linear foot of surfaced redwood here in Houston.

[Rich P]

All heart clear kiln dried is expensive even here in CA. If you can live with a few tight knots then con-heart is reasonable and will give you the same performance. Con-heart is (or at least was) a suitable replacement for PT for sill plates. Actually if you want clear heart I've found Ipe to be a real bargain compared to redwood and it will out last redwood by a mile.

[jussi]

Can I use the fence material they sell at the Borgs. I know it's rough and I'll have to run it through the jointer/planer.

[LCHIEN]

Can I use the fence material they sell at the Borgs. I know it's rough and I'll have to run it through the jointer/planer.

they have two fence materials - treated pine and western red cedar, the pine is cheaper.

I get a lot of 1x6 dog eared cedar fence boards, they're really more like 5/8" than 1" thick. They're rough cut but I use them that way, it adds to the rustic look of the outdoor furnishings. You can plane them successfully, you'll end up with 1/2" material tho.

They're not top quality, when Lowes gets a new shipment I pick thru and get the straight, ones with small tight knots and tight grain. Lots have splits and big knots.

They cost about $2-2.50 a board. I have glued two or three together to make legs and stuff.

Cedar turns silvery gray with age, and lasts maybe a good ten years or more outdoors without a finish. May last longer with some varnish reapplied at intervals.

[jussi]

they have two fence materials - treated pine and western red cedar, the pine is cheaper.

I get a lot of 1x6 dog eared cedar fence boards, they're really more like 5/8" than 1" thick. They're rough cut but I use them that way, it adds to the rustic look of the outdoor furnishings. You can plane them successfully, you'll end up with 1/2" material tho.

They're not top quality, when Lowes gets a new shipment I pick thru and get the straight, ones with small tight knots and tight grain. Lots have splits and big knots.

They cost about $2-2.50 a board. I have glued two or three together to make legs and stuff.

Cedar turns silvery gray with age, and lasts maybe a good ten years or more outdoors without a finish. May last longer with some varnish reapplied at intervals.

My local Orange Borg has redwood fencing as well as the stained pine. I don't remember seeing Cedar.

[jussi]

they have two fence materials - treated pine and western red cedar, the pine is cheaper.

I get a lot of 1x6 dog eared cedar fence boards, they're really more like 5/8" than 1" thick. They're rough cut but I use them that way, it adds to the rustic look of the outdoor furnishings. You can plane them successfully, you'll end up with 1/2" material tho.

They're not top quality, when Lowes gets a new shipment I pick thru and get the straight, ones with small tight knots and tight grain. Lots have splits and big knots.

They cost about $2-2.50 a board. I have glued two or three together to make legs and stuff.

Cedar turns silvery gray with age, and lasts maybe a good ten years or more outdoors without a finish. May last longer with some varnish reapplied at intervals.

My local Borg has redwood fencing as well as the stained pine. I don't remember seeing Cedar.

[LCHIEN]

i suppose it depends on your area...
you live in CA so, redwood. In Tx, its cedar

[sailor55330]

They use a lot of cedar in MN for outdoor decks and such. More expensive than treated, but much prettier. The only down side to cedar is that it's pretty soft (dog's nails, chair legs, etc, will mark it). I remember we had a deck out of redwood growing up. It was beautiful and only need a "deck wash" about once a year. At the time, it was the same price as treated lumber.

If you have cash to burn, you could always pony up for some Teak.

[phi1l]

If the piece is not too large you might want to consider teak.

[Hoover]

Ipe wood should be good for outdoor projects. Supposedly it can last for up to 100 years.

[crybdr]

Though probably overkill for a planter & probably price prohibitive depending on availability - I've been told that 'white' oak is an excellent outdoor wood.

Different from 'red' oak, 'white' oak has a cell structure that impedes water ingress. It's the oak species that wine barrels are made of - 'red' oak apparently lets the wine pass through.

I made some indoor pieces out of 'white oak' because I got a deal on the remaining pile my woodmonger had. It's hard to tell the difference (in look and workability) between the 'red' and 'white'.

I'm curious to hear if anyone out there has an outdoor piece made from 'white' oak. - Don't hijack the thread, just PM me. Thanks....