Sassafras for exterior project?

[Bill Wilson]

I need to make a gate for top of the stairs on the deck of my daughter's house.  I'm still weighing options for design, but was trying to determine what wood I wanted to use.  the deck is all PT lumber, FWIW.  I'm considering half lap joints on the corners of the frame, with a diagonal brace mortised in to provide stiffness.  I'm not crazy about using PT lumber for this, because it will shrink so much as it dries, I'm concerned the joinery will suffer over the long term.  I have some sassafras left over from a past project and may be enough to complete this one.  Even though the deck has a roof over it, the gate will have some exposure to the elements.  According to the Wood Database, sassafras has good rot resistance.  Has anyone used it for outside applications before?  Anything I should be concerned about? 

Thanks

[joespehar]

When I was a kid 60+ years ago in Ohio. our next door neighbors had some outdoor furniture made from sassafras.  It was very rustic, just branches put together into chairs and a long bench with a back on it, with the bark still on.  I'm not sure how long it lasted, but I don't remember it getting punky from sitting out in the weather all year.   It smelled nice when you scratched the bark.  I used to chew on sassafras twigs and still like the aroma.

[Bill Wilson]

After doing a little more digging on the innerweb, it appears that sassafras would be a good choice for this project.  It was referenced as being used for fences & boat building, so I think it would be suitable for my application.

I don't have as much on hand as I thought I did, so I'll need to get a little more, but it gives me an excuse to go to the lumberyard and spend more money than I should.  

[Steve N]

I don't have as much on hand as I thought I did, so I'll need to get a little more, but it gives me an excuse to go to the lumberyard and spend more money than I should.  

Now that makes for a good day in anyones book
It can only get better if you were supposed to be at work, and skipped, and played hookey to go wood shopping, almost a Ferris Bueller day

[Bill Wilson]

Now that makes for a good day in anyones book
It can only get better if you were supposed to be at work, and skipped, and played hookey to go wood shopping, almost a Ferris Bueller day
 

The thought crossed my mind.  It's supposed to be sunny and in the upper 70's here today. 

[Steve N]

Oh I'm already off. Just work Tues, Wed, and Thurs. I still wanna play hookey all the time