What wood to use for a bench?

[Tom Bender]

Hi Tobias
How do you plan to use this bench and can you share some design details? We love bench projects.

Can you cover it when not in use, especially in rain and snow. That would be much better protection than varnish or paint, depending on how you plan to use it.

[Tai Fu]

I think it really depends on what you have available. As much as I'd love to use red/white oak or maple, they are not grown in Taiwan and therefore expensive. If I have to choose I'd use Taiwan Acacia as they are plentiful here and is quite heavy, as well as being more or less rot resistant. However I'd need like a bunch of board feet of the stuff. Anyways I know someone who has a bunch of logs, however the problem is now that it may be years before I can use any of it as they will be mostly green.

[Curt Harms]

I'm surprised you suggested boiled linseed oil for outdoor use. I understood that since it is an organic oil, it is very susceptible to many types of mold and fungi. I've seen some outdoor projects that are black from it.
If any untreated wood is placed on the ground, it will rot and attract termites and carpenter ants in through the end grain. Some form up a little dam on the bottom of the legs and pour 1/2" of epoxy as a water barrier. Others place the wood on concrete patio stones. Personally, I'd use pressure treated for the structure and make the rest from white oak. I'm glad the dealer didn't have redwood. The current stuff being cut has only a fraction of the rot resistance of old growth. Any sapwood on young cut redwood rots about as fast as pine. It's still sold on the stories of the past, and not current data.

Solid surface materials seems to work well on the bottom of wood feet living outdoors. Plain epoxy will bond Corian (in my case) to wood. I scuff sanded the Corian and drilled a couple holes for corrosion resistant screws. These are on the bottom of plywood edges. It's been a few years and no degradation of either wood or Corian.