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+-- Thread: Substitute for Cypfress for Garden Bench (/showthread.php?tid=7369323)
RE: Substitute for Cypfress for Garden Bench - Gary G™ - 05-31-2022
What will the white oak cost you?
RE: Substitute for Cypfress for Garden Bench - 5thumbs - 06-01-2022
(05-31-2022, 09:43 AM)Gary G™ Wrote: What will the white oak cost you?
Where I live, about $5.00 - #13.50/bdft, depending on thickness and cut. Cedar ranges from $10.25 and up, if you can get it.
RE: Substitute for Cypfress for Garden Bench - Gary G™ - 06-01-2022
Being unfamiliar with your local hardwoods, I did a quick search and it shows Osage, black locust, numerous oaks, persimmon and some ashes.
Any of those should be fine.
RE: Substitute for Cypfress for Garden Bench - jteneyck - 06-01-2022
(06-01-2022, 10:25 AM)Gary G™ Wrote: Being unfamiliar with your local hardwoods, I did a quick search and it shows Osage, black locust, numerous oaks, persimmon and some ashes.
Any of those should be fine.
I wouldn't use ash for anything out in direct weather unless it's really well protected with epoxy sealer and paint.
From the Wood Database: Heartwood is rated as perishable, or only slightly durable in regard to decay. Ash is also not resistant to insect attack.
John
RE: Substitute for Cypfress for Garden Bench - AHill - 06-01-2022
(06-01-2022, 02:10 PM)jteneyck Wrote: I wouldn't use ash for anything out in direct weather unless it's really well protected with epoxy sealer and paint.
From the Wood Database: Heartwood is rated as perishable, or only slightly durable in regard to decay. Ash is also not resistant to insect attack.
John
Ash is also prone to splintering, which I wouldn't recommend for a chair exposed to the elements.
RE: Substitute for Cypfress for Garden Bench - kurt18947 - 06-01-2022
(06-01-2022, 06:16 AM)5thumbs Wrote: Where I live, about $5.00 - #13.50/bdft, depending on thickness and cut. Cedar ranges from $10.25 and up, if you can get it.
It might be worth renting a truck or cargo van. I don't know where you are in Delaware and if there are local mills or Woodmizer owners that might have white oak to sell. I live in S.E. PA. and have bought white oak from Heacock Lumber north of Doylestown. I haven't been there since prices have gone nuts but they had rough white oak 4/4 for around $2.75/bd.ft. Another possibility would be black locust if you could find it, it has an excellent reputation as an outdoor wood. It was used for fence posts back in the day and was reputed to "outlast the hole." Unfortunately decent sized boards don't seem plentiful.
RE: Substitute for Cypfress for Garden Bench - jteneyck - 06-01-2022
(06-01-2022, 04:42 PM)kurt18947 Wrote: It might be worth renting a truck or cargo van. I don't know where you are in Delaware and if there are local mills or Woodmizer owners that might have white oak to sell. I live in S.E. PA. and have bought white oak from Heacock Lumber north of Doylestown. I haven't been there since prices have gone nuts but they had rough white oak 4/4 for around $2.75/bd.ft. Another possibility would be black locust if you could find it, it has an excellent reputation as an outdoor wood. It was used for fence posts back in the day and was reputed to "outlast the hole." Unfortunately decent sized boards don't seem plentiful.
If you can still buy white oak for around $2.75/bf I recommend you buy all you can store. In WNY white oak is twice that for plain sawn 4/4 and twice that for rift sawn.
And you are right about black locust; amazing rot resistance. It's still the preferred wood for fence posts AFAIK. And despite what some say, it mills beautifully and seems no tougher on my carbide tooling than white oak. And it makes a beautiful bench.
![[Image: AM-JKLVA1nsLaky9QyNnd_G_GUwE3JD_5EH5UisX...authuser=1]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AM-JKLVA1nsLaky9QyNnd_G_GUwE3JD_5EH5UisX931moDYPvTdUi3oTgFZsea2mPFHSj_BXUFUztIHrgCVdJeeDwwaA0FNvsqBP3o4mHvjRj4h3FUhlqFzllvafBpsTLXlr1DyotXILNmx3imV2xNyqr25E8w=w800-h600-no?authuser=1)
John
RE: Substitute for Cypfress for Garden Bench - 5thumbs - 06-02-2022
(06-01-2022, 07:30 PM)jteneyck Wrote: If you can still buy white oak for around $2.75/bf I recommend you buy all you can store. In WNY white oak is twice that for plain sawn 4/4 and twice that for rift sawn.Beautiful!
And you are right about black locust; amazing rot resistance. It's still the preferred wood for fence posts AFAIK. And despite what some say, it mills beautifully and seems no tougher on my carbide tooling than white oak. And it makes a beautiful bench.
John
RE: Substitute for Cypfress for Garden Bench - Gary G™ - 06-02-2022
(06-01-2022, 02:10 PM)jteneyck Wrote: I wouldn't use ash for anything out in direct weather unless it's really well protected with epoxy sealer and paint.
Yea, skip the ash.
Cypress, shipped in, might still end up as your best choice.
Gorgeous black locust bench John.
RE: Substitute for Cypfress for Garden Bench - jteneyck - 06-02-2022
(06-02-2022, 08:14 AM)Gary G™ Wrote: Yea, skip the ash.
Cypress, shipped in, might still end up as your best choice.
Gorgeous black locust bench John.
Thanks. Now that I think about it, I modified the plans for my bench from one in a FWW article where the guy built his out of Spanish Cedar.