Choice or Wood

[Mark Stutz]

Thought I would ask for opinions on wood choice for a new project. If this should be in the Design Forum, Ken, please move it. I am building a bench as a gift for my partner. It will be used in a steam shower. The "traditional wood would have been Teak or Mahogany, and Cypress, Cedar or Redwood would be equally good choices.

In it's native lands, purpleheart is used for pilings, etc. so I assume holds up well to moisture. I can get enough for the project at $3.80/bf, so price is not the mafor concern. PH will turn from purple to brown with UV exposure, but what would it do in this environment? Stay purple? Turn black? Likely finish will be a penetrating tyupe marine finish, though not a film finish.

Any thoughts, comments, suggestions? :confused: Am I crazy? :confused:

Mark

[Earl Kelly]

Mark, not sure if the purple heart would bleed in that enviro or not. It might be advisable to test it before using. I do know the dust mixed with sweat will stain a t shirt. My choice for economy and looks would be Cypress. Only drawback, it's as soft as pine, but works good in a damp enviroment.

[Chris Padilla]

Assuming this isn't a secret project from your SO, how about putting a piece of PH in the shower and see what happens to it? In fact, cross cut a piece, glue it back together with what you think is a good choice for a wet environment (epoxy!) and then finish half of it in the finish you might try/like and put it on a shelf or the floor of the shower/tub.

Observe for 21 days.

[David Wilson]

You might want to consider white oak. Not porus like red oak and has been used for boat building. From what I have read , quarter sawn white oak tends to splinter in wet or outdoor conditions so I would stay away from that. I built a garden bench about 5 years ago from white oak and it is holding up well.

[Tim Sproul]

Quoted from Wood Handbook:

"The unusual and unique color of purpleheart makes this
wood desirable for turnery, marquetry, cabinets, fine furniture,
parquet flooring, and many specialty items, such as
billiard cue butts and carvings. Other uses include heavy
construction, shipbuilding, and chemical vats."

The shipbuilding part makes me think you'll be fine. I also wouldn't worry too much about resin coming out. That normally happens when high heat....such as 20,000 rpm router bit stopped at one point.....is applied. If the steam shower is that hot, she won't be in any shape to worry about gummy resin exuding from the bench.

Other thing though that is discouraging....Purpleheart splinters and the splinters are NASTY. Along with this, it is a difficult wood to get a very smooth surface on. Generally, a bit of tearout is likely to turn into a protruding splinter after many cycles of wet/dry. Purpleheart's property of being very dense and very strong makes for very sharp and very strong splinters. You might reconsider and use some type of film finish. If not, be very certain you've knocked down all sharp edges and surface as best you can and I'd check on it periodically...weekly/monthly/yearly or whatever and repair any edges/surfaces that are showing a propensity to splinter. I'd also design so that you have trestle feet...or other way so that the end grain is not on the floor....the end grain will wick water in much more quickly than the side grain.

[Mark Stutz]

Thanks for all the thoughts and ideas. After I posted the question I also continued my research and had just about decided to go with the PH. I've not worked with it before, and wasn't aware of the tendency to splinter. Since this is a gift, and will not be in my home, and will be in a shower (read: lots of bare skin!..OUCH!!!) I think maybe I'll save the PH for some other project.

Mark