Outdoor Work Desk

[Morgan Waddell]

Hi everyone, this is my first post! I have found this forum to be extremely helpful.

I am building an out door work desk out for a client out of African Mahogany, about 6/4'' thick. It will be a rectangular horseshoe shape. I was planning on biscuit joining and using Titebond 3. I was thinking about bordering it, but now that I think about it, it's probably not a good idea. Do you think a panel glue up will be alright outside? Or should I go another direction...

[John TenEyck]

Outdoor under a porch or outdoor in the sun and rain? If your desk is a U shape you need to join the center section to the two legs of the U so that the center section can expand/contract; otherwise it will tear itself apart. One way to do that is by using a breadboard end type construction. In any case, never glue end grain to edge grain.

However, if you used frame and panel construction for the three sections of the U you could glue them together because you'd have edge grain to edge grain at the joints. That approach would give you a border around the desk, too. TB III in direct sun would not be a good choice IMHO. I'd use epoxy or Plastic Resin Glue.

John

[Morgan Waddell]

Outdoor in the sun and the rain. He does want it to be painted. It would all be edge grain to edge grain, with a square in the middle for him to stand and work. I'm having a hard time understanding this- "you need to join the center section to the two legs of the U so that the center section can expand/contract; otherwise it will tear itself apart." Also ho would you frame and panel the three sections?

[Jamie Buxton]

Paint on exterior objects is a good idea. Paint helps protect against sun and water. But putting African Mahogany under it is foolish. Instead, use a man-made sheet material which is inherently waterproof, for instance: King Starboard, which is a marine-grade polymer sheet; or Azek, a cellular PVC material used for house trim, and which can be had in big sheets; or Extira, which is an exterior-grade mdf. Underneath paint, nobody can tell these materials aren't African Mahogany. Except of course, that that are more durable in the weather. And because they come in big sheets, they solve most of the joinery issues solid wood will bring you.

[Frederick Skelly]

Welcome to SMC Morgan. Tell us about you. How long have you been woodworking, how long have you been doing client work, what do you like to build, etc?

As a quick aside, I agree with Jamie. Don't use african mahogany for this. That's wasteful and costly. If the customer insists on "real wood" under the paint, use clear pine or something like that.
Fred

[Morgan Waddell]

Thanks! I'm from Pennsylvania, I have my own carpentry business. Woodworking is more of an interest and a hobby that I seldom have time for, however my first job was with a cabinet/furniture maker during my High School summers. I've had my own business for 3 years now. I'm 26. I'm pretty green when it comes to woodwork. I've been teaching myself, and I know a lot of the basic principles, but lack a lot of experience.
Occasionally I have a client who asks for custom work.

[Bernie Kopfer]

Nothing wrong with being green. Many of us wish we had the option to be green again.🤪

[Tom Bender]

If your client wants 'quality' (solid and special wood) that's something you will have to work thru with him / her, here are a couple of suggestions;

Frame and panel construction will hold up better in weather, but don't try veneer or plywood.

A granite, quartz or Corian top will be way better and easier. It will be expensive but you will be out from under the task with a phone call.

[Osvaldo Cristo]

Many moons ago I constructed a table for our garden. It had no protection from sun and rain.

It was made with ipe 1×4 deck lumber, some hidden stainless screws and glued with naval glue. It stayed there for 15 years with no maintenance. We scrapped it because we did not needed it more.

We live at ten kilometers from Capricorn line, so we have lots of sunshine and rain!

It worked for me.