Best Wood for an Outdoor Bench

[Ben Ellenberger]

I’ve been asked to make the slats for an outdoor bench. It will be placed in a park in memory of a friend who passed away. The organization we were part of is having a local metalworker make the end frames, so I would just be making simple slats that will be fixed to the frames with fasteners. This in Central California near the coast and will be in full sun.

In general I prefer to use American woods, primarily because I believe forests in America are more likely to be sustainably managed. I know teak is usually the first recommendation for outdoor furniture, but I’m thinking about using white oak.

Any other American woods I should consider?
Any feedback on imported lumber that has strong tracking/verification of sustainable harvest practices?

I’m thinking of using 5/4 lumber for a 50” span. The sagulator makes me think this should be fine unless two football players sit on it at the same time.

[Kevin Jenness]

White oak is a good choice. Walnut heartwood is highly rot resistant though not as strong. 1" net thickness seems a bit light to me for that span.

[Andrew Hughes]

I vote for Western red cedar.
Look for some heart wood if you think it might be too soft for your design change your design.
Heart redwood is also a good choice if you can find it thick and red
Good Luck

[Jay Houghton]

Not sure if you can find it out there but black locust is a great outdoor wood. That and osage orange are both known for being great fence posts. You're not looking for cabinet wood, just something strong and durable.
Jay

[Ben Ellenberger]

Thanks for the input. Walnut is another good option. I went back and forth on thickness. I recall benches at my grandparents having relatively thin slats, but I could go up to 6/4 to be safe.

Red cedar is another good idea. It looks like my supplier has it in 2x6. I’d need to mill it down so it doesn’t just look like I bought dimensional lumber at Home Depot. I’m a little hesitant to use softer wood in a park where it is likely to see a lot of use over the years.

[Alex Zeller]

If it's in a public place strength would be a major concern. It's not furniture for your home. Expect people to treat it like it's a jungle gym. Cedar would be out IMO. White oak would work. For the minimal amount of wood I would think about the south American hardwoods. If nothing else they would also stand up to someone trying to burn the wood. Yes, it's sad that these issues are something we have to think about, even in the safest communities, but life is what it is now.

There's a rail trail not far from me that has a few benches. Every one of them has some form of damage due to misuse. Overall most people are very good but it just takes one.

[John David2023]

White oak (https://exoticwoodzone.com/products/premium-4-4-white-oak-lumbers-fas) is a durable option, but you can also consider Western Red Cedar

[Mel Fulks]

Covering wood with canvas and then painting it works well. It was used long ago on ships . Used to be a pretty common practice for
porches . 1890 is the earliest mention of painted canvas that I’ve seen for porches. The adhesive is usually paint or glue.
Now it’s never suggested in magazines…..and that’s where I first read about it. Lot of good stuff is , I think , snuffed by mags to keep
the modern stuff cranking out more modern stuff. Lot of ‘new’ ideas are found in old books !

[John Kananis]

I've always been curious about this method. Have you done this before? How is the canvas 'fixed' to the wood?


Covering wood with canvas and then painting it works well. It was used long ago on ships . Used to be a pretty common practice for
porches . 1890 is the earliest mention of painted canvas that I’ve seen for porches. The adhesive is usually paint or glue.
Now it’s never suggested in magazines…..and that’s where I first read about it. Lot of good stuff is , I think , snuffed by mags to keep
the modern stuff cranking out more modern stuff. Lot of ‘new’ ideas are found in old books !

[Jim Becker]

Outdoors? White Oak (not red oak) if you want something hard and durable. Western Red Cedar is very nice, but it doesn't have the heft of white oak. I would not choose walnut at all.

[Mel Fulks]

I've always been curious about this method. Have you done this before? How is the canvas 'fixed' to the wood?
I have done it several times for wood table tops and wood signs and a plywood deck . Used Tite Bond 2 or plastic resin glue, but it you have paint that
is left over and waiting to get gloppy enough to throw away…use that as ‘glue’ .

[scott lipscomb]

Big Creek Lumber in Santa Cruz County is currently generating some very nice Coast Redwood boards for just under $3/BF. It's local and seems to be a sustainable product. I've been working with them for a long time and they are a good company. It's not old growth, or anything like that, but it's very decent, and all heart can certainly be had.

[Jimmy Harris]

Since it's being strapped to a metal frame, I might also consider dimensional stability, depending on the design of the frame.

[John TenEyck]

California? Redwood seems the obvious choice to me. Thick, that's a long span.

John

[Kent A Bathurst]

I built a pergola-type entrance way above a driveway gate 15+ years ago. WRC 4 x 6 posts and 4 x 4 & 2 x 6 top structure. Footprint 4' x 8' or so; 10' tall. Had 50' of WRC fence to go with it.

Weathered grey, but has performed nicely. The only thing that needs work are the WRC post caps I made - they got zero maintenance, and need replacing.

This is Atlanta rain and humidity.

[Frederick Skelly]

I once did something similar to what you describe. I used white oak and put a marine varnish finish on it. It’s held up well.

[Andrew Hughes]

I only used white oak on a few outdoor projects.
I didn’t like the way it weathered it turned almost black. If the op uses white oak on his bench slats all the fasteners will need to be stainless steel.
Western red cedar will corrupt regular steel bolts but not as bad. It also weathers very nicely it doesn’t need any finish.
WRC is really in the cypress family. Bald cypress would also be a good choice
Good Luck

[Ben Ellenberger]

Thanks for all the thoughts. Of the options that are easily available to me, it sounds like I’ll decide between western red cedar and white oak. The point about stainless fasteners for the oak is well taken.

[mike stenson]

I only used white oak on a few outdoor projects.
I didn’t like the way it weathered it turned almost black. If the op uses white oak on his bench slats all the fasteners will need to be stainless steel.
Western red cedar will corrupt regular steel bolts but not as bad. It also weathers very nicely it doesn’t need any finish.
WRC is really in the cypress family. Bald cypress would also be a good choice
Good Luck

I've some outdoor furniture I made out of cypress in the 90s still around and doing nicely. Without any finish on them. Would totally use it again.

[Richard Verwoest]

Old Growth Redwood sounds perfect as this is in California. Contact Far West Forrest.

[johnny means]

Covering wood with canvas and then painting it works well. It was used long ago on ships . Used to be a pretty common practice for
porches . 1890 is the earliest mention of painted canvas that I’ve seen for porches. The adhesive is usually paint or glue.
Now it’s never suggested in magazines…..and that’s where I first read about it. Lot of good stuff is , I think , snuffed by mags to keep
the modern stuff cranking out more modern stuff. Lot of ‘new’ ideas are found in old books !

We call that poor man's fiberglass. popular on diy teardrop campers

[Mel Fulks]

We call that poor man's fiberglass. popular on diy teardrop campers
Thanks ,Johnny. Odd ball stuff can not prosper without the help of wise workmen .

[Mark e Kessler]

White Oak or Sapele