What wood would you use?

[Brian Holcombe]

Honduran is a nice choice, I have a client with s number of Honduran pieces and they look just the same as when I made them over the past few years.

[Doug Dawson]

I priced Honduran mahogany at about 6.50 a bdft, so that’s probably what I’ll do. It’s nice stuff to work with, and more dimensionally stable than sapele (although more expensive too). Honestly if I bought rift or 1/4’d white oak it would be just as expensive.

It just seems kind of weird to be painting honduran mahogany, which is not practically a renewable resource, and is becoming increasingly protected. Better to save it for actual furniture projects? It's not something I would burn.

[andy bessette]

Honduran mahogany is very nice to work with, but cypress is generally known to be much more rot resistant.

[Malcolm McLeod]

I priced Honduran mahogany at about 6.50 a bdft, so that’s probably what I’ll do. It’s nice stuff to work with, and more dimensionally stable than sapele (although more expensive too). Honestly if I bought rift or 1/4’d white oak it would be just as expensive.

Another vote for Cypress.

[Prashun Patel]

If it will be painted perhaps an composite trim material would be more appropriate.

[lowell holmes]

White oak does well outside also.

[brian zawatsky]

It just seems kind of weird to be painting honduran mahogany, which is not practically a renewable resource, and is becoming increasingly protected. Better to save it for actual furniture projects? It's not something I would burn.

There is such a thing as paint grade mahogany, you know. I worked for a restoration company years ago that specialized in restoring early 19th century homes & buildings. We used mahogany in lots of porch floors, cornices, and exterior trim. All were painted. Honduran mahogany is also plantation grown now, I believe.

[brian zawatsky]

If it will be painted perhaps an composite trim material would be more appropriate.

The home is over a century old, and is all wood. The siding is wood shake, shutters are wood with nice wrought iron dogs, wood cornice, porch posts and capitals are wood. I'm not going to insult the homeowner by suggesting she install plastic trellises. Maybe its just me, but that kind of misses the mark IMO.

[Brian Holcombe]

Wood aside, personally I would want to increase the depth of those pieces to strengthen it but without making it significantly heavier visually. In fact I may make them thinner and deeper. I’ve done this to my shoji work in recent years, just slightly but it has a nice effect.

Latticework is delicate simply for the fact that it is made with half lap joints. If the assembly is made of uniform thickness then alternating sides for the half lap cuts will create a woven structure that is not as delicate.

I agree very much with Warren’s assessment, a frame will help that work a lot and would improve the appearance.

[Pete Taran]

Brian,

Have you considered the center part of trex or composite flooring? It's got wood in it and is impregnated with plastic. You could plane off the plastic outer section and thickness and rip that stuff to suit. Painted you won't be able to tell the difference. Just a thought.

[brian zawatsky]

Wood aside, personally I would want to increase the depth of those pieces to strengthen it but without making it significantly heavier visually. In fact I may make them thinner and deeper. I’ve done this to my shoji work in recent years, just slightly but it has a nice effect.

Latticework is delicate simply for the fact that it is made with half lap joints. If the assembly is made of uniform thickness then alternating sides for the half lap cuts will create a woven structure that is not as delicate.

I agree very much with Warren’s assessment, a frame will help that work a lot and would improve the appearance.

Yes I'm in total agreement with you and Warren on framing the lattice panel with more substantial stock to increase the strength and visual appeal. Alternating the half laps is a great idea, I hadn't considered that. Seems as though it would almost hold the assembly in tension and counteract any tendency to bow in one direction or the other. Somewhat more complicated but not too much, and would be worth it in the long run. Thanks for the suggestion!

[Brian Holcombe]

Pete,

I helped my father throw away a deck made with Trex and replace it with Ipe about 8-9 years ago. If I'm being kind, I'll say that Trex did not meet expectations for longevity. Ipe has not even flinched under direct sunlight.

Also, a composite without the plastic layer is not going to hold joinery, it will crumble when you press the half laps together.

This is Honduran mahogany after two or three years outside (not in direct sunlight, just outside). There has been hardly any dimension changes, the joints are tight as when I made them.

[brian zawatsky]

Brian,

Have you considered the center part of trex or composite flooring? It's got wood in it and is impregnated with plastic. You could plane off the plastic outer section and thickness and rip that stuff to suit. Painted you won't be able to tell the difference. Just a thought.

I didn't think it was possible to paint Trex or other plastic/composites.

[Brian Holcombe]

Yes I'm in total agreement with you and Warren on framing the lattice panel with more substantial stock to increase the strength and visual appeal. Alternating the half laps is a great idea, I hadn't considered that. Seems as though it would almost hold the assembly in tension and counteract any tendency to bow in one direction or the other. Somewhat more complicated but not too much, and would be worth it in the long run. Thanks for the suggestion!

My pleasure! It will help a lot, especially in times when the wood swells.

[andy bessette]

...

Nice piece.