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Thread: Outdoor Paitio Furniture Wood Recommendation?

  1. #1
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    Outdoor Paitio Furniture Wood Recommendation?

    Looking at building 4 good sized outdoor chairs. Talked with specialty hardwood lumber co folks and of white oak, mahogany or hard maple, the rock maple was the cheapest by far. I have built a couple of large patio tables out of white oak and unless I keep them covered during the winter rainy season (central Calif) I had to do a light rebuild after two years, and that was after saturating them with a good quality deck oil. Given the wood prices around here, you can tell we don't live where they grow hardwood, its pricey (eg 8/4 white oak is $8.37 bd ft). Anyway, looking for wood recommendations.... I can't afford the best wood out there so maybe the middle of the pack? Or..... Randy

  2. #2
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    You might want to check the pricing for iroko. It's often used for decks and I've built a couple of shower benches out of it.

  3. #3
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    Maple is not as durable outdoors as white oak.

  4. #4
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    Teak's hard to beat for outdoor stuff.

  5. #5
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    I think you'd be very disappointed with maple outside in the elements especially after dealing with white oak. It depends on what mahogany they are calling mahogany but out of those options it would technically be the best choice and then white oak. Maple will brown very quickly and will start to rot soon after.

    I know price is of concern but IPE really is some of the best outdoor material out there. Teak is right up there as well but I think you'll find Ipe much cheaper.

  6. #6
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    Earlier this year, I bought 4/4 roughsawn teak for some outdoor stools. It cost $32 per bd ft. 8/4, which I did not buy, was $38 per bd ft. Ipe seemed to be around $15 per bd ft in what they call 5/4. Thicker stock, like 8/4, which might be required for furniture, was like $25 per bd ft, but I didn't shop that very closely. The OP is choking on $8 per bd ft for white oak...
    Last edited by Jamie Buxton; 05-20-2020 at 5:37 PM.

  7. #7
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    Maple is a terrible outdoor wood. Too much seasoned movement here in California it will warp split or crack badly. Maybe even before it has a chance to decay as tony mentioned.
    Iroko is a spirt wood so that’s a bad choice too. If you happen to see the Iroko wood spirt insanity and death will soon follow.
    Teak is the best but it’s expensive but a lovely wood to work even with the oil and silica it has inside.
    Western red cedar
    Redwood
    Port Orford cedar are my suggestions

    Good Luck
    Aj

  8. #8
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    Western Red Cedar or Cypress if you don't feel that you can swing White Oak.

  9. #9
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    What Andrew said, and add Sapele and Spanish cedar to the list.

    John

  10. #10
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    Any thoughts or experience with mahogany for an outdoor chair project? I throw that in for Q because that's one of the woods the hardwood specialty place recommended when I talked to them. Randy

  11. #11
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    I would suggest not using Ipe. It's extremely difficult to work with.
    In addition I figure it has to be a very poor choice from a sustainability point of view.
    This is from the wood-database.com website -

    Ipe species grow in very low densities, with mature trees only occurring once per 300,000 to 1,000,000 square feet (3 to 10 hectares) of forest area. This necessitates the clearing of large sections of rainforest trees (most of which are of little commercial value). Though uncommon, certified sources of Ipe are available.

  12. #12
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    I built eight Adirondack chairs using a premium pre-stained PT pine, marketed as Cedartone at Menards. No, it is not hardwood, but you can bet they will last. I wanted to use KDAT (kiln dried after treatment) wood (marketed as Yellawood) but could not find any locally. I left the chairs unfinished. Downside, like most PT wood, it was soaking wet. Mich chair.jpg
    NOW you tell me...

  13. #13
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    Cypress or white oak is what I use.

  14. #14
    I also used PT wood for two Adirondack chairs at least 7 years ago and they still are fine. The wood was wet and I plugged the screw holes and painted the chairs. Some of the plugs are protruding and the paint is pealing but the wood is sound. I should take them to the shop and sand them down and repaint. Maybe someday.

    I also have some PT wood from my dock stored inside. it is pretty dry now. i'm not sure what I will use it for but it would work much better. I have purchased PT in the winter before because it hangs around in the home center longer and the air is drier speeding drying. But for the subject chairs I just brought it home and started cutting. They are far from fine furniture but they work. I made tables and footstools at the same time. All are fine.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Randall J Cox View Post
    Any thoughts or experience with mahogany for an outdoor chair project? I throw that in for Q because that's one of the woods the hardwood specialty place recommended when I talked to them. Randy
    Mahogany (but be careful about what species is being sold...there's a lot of substitution these days) is a good outdoor wood when properly finished.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

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