I'd like a short (about 1m long) wooden bench for my garden. I've seen
very cheap pine offerings and expensive naughty hardwoods. Will money
buy me resistance to rote, mould, etc?

Is there a really good "treatment" that will prevent rot? A lot of these
seem to be for rough sawn timber only.

Thanks!

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com

On Tue, 6 May 2003 00:37 +0100 (BST), (Steve Harris)
wrote:

I'd like a short (about 1m long) wooden bench for my garden. I've seen
very cheap pine offerings and expensive naughty hardwoods. Will money
buy me resistance to rote, mould, etc?

Is there a really good "treatment" that will prevent rot? A lot of these
seem to be for rough sawn timber only.

You get what you pay for.

I have a hardwood bench in the garden that I have sorely neglected -
but after 8 or more years it's as strong as ever...and the lichen
growing on it looks kinda funky...
But last year I bought a cheap pine 'pub style' table/bench thing for
£25 from B&Q - and despite bunging lashings of preservative and
varnish on it it still went all black and mouldy....and it warped
considerably.

Get a decent one and it'll save you money in the long run.

Regards,



--
Stephen Howard - Woodwind repairs & period restorations
http://www.shwoodwind.co.uk
Emails to: showard{who is at}shwoodwind{dot}co{dot}uk

You really need a hardwood bench for good stability and durability. Avoid
tropical hardwoods if you can, http://www.coedcymru.mid-wales.net/ can point
you to good British suppliers.
Neil



"Steve Harris" wrote in message
...
I'd like a short (about 1m long) wooden bench for my garden. I've seen
very cheap pine offerings and expensive naughty hardwoods. Will money
buy me resistance to rote, mould, etc?

Is there a really good "treatment" that will prevent rot? A lot of these
seem to be for rough sawn timber only.

Thanks!

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com

Three years ago we bought some teak furniture - table, chairs and a Lutyens
style bench from a market. The price was far less than those in garden
centres or D-I-Y outfits at the time. I treated the wood with teak oil
but in time that attracted soot, dirt and pollen and went dark.
To get the colour back I have had to scrub and sand back to the original
wood and am now trying Danish Oil as the preservative.

I would agree with the previous posters that the hardwoods are a better bet,
but whatever you buy will need thorough and regular treatment to keep it
both protected and looking good. So, yes money will buy you a start but the
rest is down to care and time in looking after what you have.

My father bought some teak chairs made from the timbers of a ship - HMS
Aresthusa I think - in a country house sale in 1950 - those chairs are still
going strong .....


Nick Spalding

----- Original Message -----
From: "Steve Harris"
Newsgroups: uk.rec.gardening
Sent: Tuesday, May 06, 2003 12:37 AM
Subject: Wooden Garden Furniture


I'd like a short (about 1m long) wooden bench for my garden. I've seen
very cheap pine offerings and expensive naughty hardwoods. Will money
buy me resistance to rote, mould, etc?

Is there a really good "treatment" that will prevent rot? A lot of these
seem to be for rough sawn timber only.

Thanks!

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com


--
Nick Spalding

"Steve Harris" wrote in message
...
I'd like a short (about 1m long) wooden bench for my garden. I've seen
very cheap pine offerings and expensive naughty hardwoods. Will money
buy me resistance to rote, mould, etc?

Is there a really good "treatment" that will prevent rot? A lot of these
seem to be for rough sawn timber only.

Thanks!

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com

On Tue, 6 May 2003 19:56:07 +0100, "Nick Spalding"
wrote:

Three years ago we bought some teak furniture - table, chairs and a Lutyens
style bench from a market. The price was far less than those in garden
centres or D-I-Y outfits at the time. I treated the wood with teak oil
but in time that attracted soot, dirt and pollen and went dark.
To get the colour back I have had to scrub and sand back to the original
wood and am now trying Danish Oil as the preservative.

I would agree with the previous posters that the hardwoods are a better bet,
but whatever you buy will need thorough and regular treatment to keep it
both protected and looking good. So, yes money will buy you a start but the
rest is down to care and time in looking after what you have.

My father bought some teak chairs made from the timbers of a ship - HMS
Aresthusa I think - in a country house sale in 1950 - those chairs are still
going strong .....



--
Stephen Howard - Woodwind repairs & period restorations
http://www.shwoodwind.co.uk
Emails to: showard{who is at}shwoodwind{dot}co{dot}uk

On Tue, 06 May 2003 23:02:24 +0100, Stephen Howard
wrote:

On Tue, 6 May 2003 19:56:07 +0100, "Nick Spalding"
wrote:

Three years ago we bought some teak furniture - table, chairs and a Lutyens
style bench from a market. The price was far less than those in garden
centres or D-I-Y outfits at the time. I treated the wood with teak oil
but in time that attracted soot, dirt and pollen and went dark.
To get the colour back I have had to scrub and sand back to the original
wood and am now trying Danish Oil as the preservative.

Whoops, forgot the message.. which was:

If you haven't already bought the Danish Oil - check out Tung Oil or
Liberon Finishing Oil. These two should provide a better, more natural
finish - though they might be a good deal more expensive.

Regards,



--
Stephen Howard - Woodwind repairs & period restorations
http://www.shwoodwind.co.uk
Emails to: showard{who is at}shwoodwind{dot}co{dot}uk

(Steve Harris) wrote in
:

I'd like a short (about 1m long) wooden bench for my garden. I've seen
very cheap pine offerings and expensive naughty hardwoods. Will money
buy me resistance to rote, mould, etc?

Is there a really good "treatment" that will prevent rot? A lot of these
seem to be for rough sawn timber only.


I'm informed by someone that makes pressure-treated softwood furniture (so
not entirely unbiased! that cheaper tongue and groove hardwood stuff has
a tendency to warp and fall out of true in the wet British winter, which is
why really good hardwood furniture is so expensive.

Plus there is the whole 'really sustainable?' question about most of the
hardwoods you see. It may be badged as from sustainable forests, but you
need to do a lot of research to be sure.

My source claims that properly tanalised softwood stuff held together with
bolts is more durable because if it moves a bit you just tighten the bolts.
Presumably one could also make hardwood stuff this way.

I can't speak from personal experience as mine is all metal.

He also says that because softwood is easier to work, it's easier to make
comfy curves in it.

Victoria

Stephen Howard wrote:

On Tue, 06 May 2003 23:02:24 +0100, Stephen Howard
wrote:

On Tue, 6 May 2003 19:56:07 +0100, "Nick Spalding"
wrote:

Three years ago we bought some teak furniture - table, chairs and a Lutyens
style bench from a market. The price was far less than those in garden
centres or D-I-Y outfits at the time. I treated the wood with teak oil
but in time that attracted soot, dirt and pollen and went dark.
To get the colour back I have had to scrub and sand back to the original
wood and am now trying Danish Oil as the preservative.

Whoops, forgot the message.. which was:

If you haven't already bought the Danish Oil - check out Tung Oil or
Liberon Finishing Oil. These two should provide a better, more natural
finish - though they might be a good deal more expensive.

Regards,

--
Stephen Howard - Woodwind repairs & period restorations
http://www.shwoodwind.co.uk
Emails to: showard{who is at}shwoodwind{dot}co{dot}uk

The nice thing about teak is that it is so fine grained and well-protected
by its own oils that its needs very little doing to it. If you leave it
unoiled it will go a silvery grey in colour but I find that quite
attractive. Teak from Indonesia can be pretty much guaranteed to be
plantation sourced rather than from natural forests (the only natural
stands of teak are in Thailand, Burma and maybe Laos) so you don't have to
worry too much about your furniture contributing to forest destruction. I
bought mine from the Ocean Trading co. which wasn't cheap but very good
quality and nice styles. They have a sale at the end of the season which
offers some savings.
Anita

On Wed, 07 May 2003 10:37:36 +0100, "A.Malhotra"
wrote:

Teak from Indonesia can be pretty much guaranteed to be
plantation sourced rather than from natural forests (the only natural
stands of teak are in Thailand, Burma and maybe Laos) so you don't have to
worry too much about your furniture contributing to forest destruction.

I beg to differ. I was in Kalimantan just, was it?, (seems like a
dream now) last year.

The devastation is like havoc. Fires. Bribes and corruption in
officialdom.

Best be responsible for replenishing our own methinks. Get a
British grown hardwood and pay the price. Since it is gravely
undervalued (must be getting scarcer surely?), you could give it some
really fine joinery work and perhaps even some embellishment.

Or do what someone suggested and settle for a softwood appropriately
treated .. maybe.. just suggestions



Respect


hussein

Grow a little garden

spam block - for real addy, reverse letters of second level domain.

"Hussein M." wrote:

On Wed, 07 May 2003 10:37:36 +0100, "A.Malhotra"
wrote:

Teak from Indonesia can be pretty much guaranteed to be
plantation sourced rather than from natural forests (the only natural
stands of teak are in Thailand, Burma and maybe Laos) so you don't have to
worry too much about your furniture contributing to forest destruction.

I beg to differ. I was in Kalimantan just, was it?, (seems like a
dream now) last year.

I did say TEAK. Teak is not a tropical rainforest species. It grows in
seasonal areas, and in Indonesia largely comes from Java. No doubt natural
forest was destroyed to make way for the plantations, but that was many
decades, if not centuries ago, and the teak plantations are still much
better habitat for many types of woldlife than the alternatives (these days
teak plantations are tending to be replaced by oil palm, which makes a
pretty sterile environment).
Anita


The devastation is like havoc. Fires. Bribes and corruption in
officialdom.

Best be responsible for replenishing our own methinks. Get a
British grown hardwood and pay the price. Since it is gravely
undervalued (must be getting scarcer surely?), you could give it some
really fine joinery work and perhaps even some embellishment.

Or do what someone suggested and settle for a softwood appropriately
treated .. maybe.. just suggestions



Respect

hussein

Grow a little garden

spam block - for real addy, reverse letters of second level domain.

On Wed, 07 May 2003 22:51:15 +0100, Hussein M.
wrote:

I beg to differ. I was in Kalimantan just, was it?, (seems like a
dream now) last year.

The devastation is like havoc. Fires. Bribes and corruption in
officialdom.

Best be responsible for replenishing our own methinks. Get a
British grown hardwood and pay the price. Since it is gravely
undervalued (must be getting scarcer surely?), you could give it some
really fine joinery work and perhaps even some embellishment.

Or do what someone suggested and settle for a softwood appropriately
treated .. maybe.. just suggestions



Respect


hussein

Grow a little garden

spam block - for real addy, reverse letters of second level domain.

If you buy hardwood in this country you can ask for a certificate
which proves where it came from and the level of replanting there.
Britain is one of the most developed countries in the world in the
case of sourced timber be it soft or hard. Wish the rest of the world
was as bothered about it.

Mind you this countries forests were ravaged for years before we
caught a grip on it.

On Thu, 08 May 2003 09:48:16 +0100, "A.Malhotra"
wrote:



"Hussein M." wrote:

On Wed, 07 May 2003 10:37:36 +0100, "A.Malhotra"
wrote:

Teak from Indonesia can be pretty much guaranteed to be
plantation sourced rather than from natural forests (the only natural
stands of teak are in Thailand, Burma and maybe Laos) so you don't have to
worry too much about your furniture contributing to forest destruction.

I beg to differ. I was in Kalimantan just, was it?, (seems like a
dream now) last year.

I did say TEAK. Teak is not a tropical rainforest species. It grows in
seasonal areas, and in Indonesia largely comes from Java. No doubt natural
forest was destroyed to make way for the plantations, but that was many
decades, if not centuries ago, and the teak plantations are still much
better habitat for many types of woldlife than the alternatives (these days
teak plantations are tending to be replaced by oil palm, which makes a
pretty sterile environment).

Ok. You seem to have checked your facts. Whatever wood it is, if it
is a hardwood it took a very long time to grow. Do you think a stand
of trees slowly accumulating 'money' would not be a target for greed
and corruption. Granted that cutting a swathe of teak is not as bad as
cutting a swathe of the indigenous hardwoods but even so, it's the
only kid on that block and it took him year upon year ...

.... and are you sure someone has whips to plant in their place?

As I said "grow your own". Apparently from a later post we are rather
good at it.

Huss
Grow a little garden

spam block - for real addy, reverse letters of second level domain.