# vote for the type of wood I should use



## smitty10101 (Oct 15, 2004)

Members need you input!

Am making a box to store cushions etc. near an outdoor swimming pool
thus the box will be outdoors 24/7/365
site is north of Philly so will have rain & snow & heat

Thinking of frame & panel
Field is/must be shiplapped 

choice of wood CURRENTLY is 
mahogany or cypress

cedar is a distant 3rd

teak is too expensive and tough to work
& ipe is out of the question
SYP & Pressure Treated are no go

So if you had to make it what would you use?? 

one of the above 3 or something else entirely??

thanks for your input


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

here....

.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

I kinda feel like a traitor saying this but have you thought about the plastic ones? I think they are more practical. https://www.google.ca/search?q=larg...-8&oe=utf-8&gws_rd=cr&ei=MvbiWOK6I9aojwPQ9Jh4


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

Wood would look great. But all in all, I'm pretty much with Chuck on this.


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## boogalee (Nov 24, 2010)

Spanish cedar.


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## Tonto1 (Nov 10, 2016)

What about Redwood.


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## lbloom3 (Nov 13, 2016)

How about reclaimed barn lumber or other exterior reclaimed wood from your local area.


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## Shop guy (Nov 22, 2012)

Having lived of a big lake I would go plastic.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Maintenance on exterior wood, especially clear finished, is a royal p.i.t.a. That's why I agree with the 'plastic' suggestion.
Life's too short to be spending your Summer stripping and refinishing wood.


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## MorrisonCharles (Feb 13, 2009)

*Polywood*

Polywood.


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## rrrun (Jun 17, 2014)

I built a picnic table set 30 years ago. It's been outside ever since ... and I used 2" "white wood" stock from Big Orange. It was my first furniture project as a homeowner, built with a carpenter square, circular saw, a jig saw and a power drill.

The table is still in the backyard. The benches, after surviving 7 years of Cub Scout den meetings, are still in service, too.

The wood was stained originally, but has been painted to match our outdoor trim for 25+ years now. The table & benches are still going strong. The point: you don't always have to use "outdoor" woods to get a good result.

Here the table is a work in progress, upside down in the garage with my first assistant. And, yes, cutting out those curves with an under-powered jig saw was a total pain!


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## smitty10101 (Oct 15, 2004)

*RE: dimensions*

This box is to fit in a 40"wide x 35" high x 36" deep opening.

My daughter, the "requestor", has researched the readily available pre made ones, plastic & wood, and isn't satisfied with what was turned up. So the request went in.

Also this box must be transported from SC to PA in a car so the frame will be pre assembled and the field will be put in on site.

I was thinking of pocket screws for the frame & t&g the panels into it(them).


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## smitty10101 (Oct 15, 2004)

*@stick*

Stick Thanks for the charts

you REALLY amaze me with what you can gather for a response.

You must have a main frame as a computer.

Maybe you should change your handle to "Watson" ?? or "Big Blue" ?


smitty


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## smitty10101 (Oct 15, 2004)

*RE: plastic*

Yes plastic would have been #1 choice but nothing could be found to fill the dimensions 40w x 35h x36d

All pre made, store bought didn't fit the bill

and I don't know of and have no experience to DIY heat/melt resin to fill the request


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## OPG3 (Jan 9, 2011)

Trex, Veranda or Vinyl Siding over one or the other.

Outside weather can do horrible things to wood.

The guys up North have a lot more experience with this than us in the South.

Otis Guillebeau from Auburn, Georgia


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

smitty10101 said:


> Stick Thanks for the charts
> 
> you REALLY amaze me with what you can gather for a response.
> 
> ...


no.. no main frame...
over the years this question arises often.. saved the answer...
note the tag line...
"SNORK Mountain Congressional Library and Taxidermy”

now as fars a ''Big Blue'' which Bosch is known as... hmmmmmmm....


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## MikeMa (Jul 27, 2006)

I built an adirondack chair about 5 years ago. Made it from cedar with no finish. Been out on the back covered patio. While it has grayed, as all wood well, it has held up VERY well. Consider a no finish option, and just let the wood naturally turn to gray. It will last longer with minimal maintenance. As soon as you put a finish on, you will need to reapply every year or two.


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## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

I have used Azek trim boards, which are solid PVC shaped with grain patterns. You can either use them as regular boards (1 x 6) or glue them together with PVC cement. Works either way. They last forever. Can either leave them white or brown or paint them.


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## Bushwhacker (Jun 16, 2009)

rrrun said:


> I built a picnic table set 30 years ago. It's been outside ever since ... and I used 2" "white wood" stock from Big Orange. It was my first furniture project as a homeowner, built with a carpenter square, circular saw, a jig saw and a power drill.
> 
> The table is still in the backyard. The benches, after surviving 7 years of Cub Scout den meetings, are still in service, too.
> 
> ...


Speaking of Jig Saws.
Many years ago I was the medic for the world Championship Karate face offs. During an intermission, I wandered over to the other side of the stadium to see what was going on. They were having a tool expo.
One of the set ups was for a jig saw. I have no idea today what the brand was. But the guy cut into a 6x6 block and then flipped it on its side and cut a wavy line the other way, then removed a complete corner from the block. Keep in mind that the blade was buried inside of the block of wood for both of the cuts.
He then set the saw on automatic run mode and set it on the edge of the block of wood. The jig saw sat there humming away and never fell off the block of wood.
I was very broke at the time and could never afford that saw. 
Yesterday I was cutting out the side portions for that 3 way baby high chair that was on the forum a few weeks ago and due to the size of the original piece of wood could not cut all of it on my band saw. So I got out my old jig saw. It took forever and wore my arm out with the shaking and made a very rough cut. Which set me to thinking about that jig saw I saw many years ago.
This may not be of help, but do any of you have an idea of the brand that saw could have been?
Thanks
David


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

If you want to build it yourself and you want the wood look then try using composite decking. Then you don't have problems with weather. 

Composite Decking | Composite Deck Materials | Trex


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## MT Stringer (Aug 15, 2012)

Right off the top of my head, I thought about my storage shed. I built it in 2002. The walls are t-111 siding (8 inch grooves). The trim boards and fascia were regular yellow pine. Everything was painted with two coats of exterior paint.

Everything has held up well for the past 15 years except for the trim and fascia. That is my spring project to replace them with new stuff. Maybe go with treated pine and wait a few weeks before painting. I really don't want to work with the cement boards. I have already replaced the doors with new ones.

So, you could build your frame and cut the t-111 paneling to fit, mark where everything goes and haul it to it's destination.

Note: My shed is on concrete blocks with 2x6 floor joists and 3/4 plywood.

Hope this helps.
Good luck.
Mike


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

rrrun said:


> I built a picnic table set 30 years ago.


You sure you didn't get your pictures mixed up? Looks more like a very nice, albeit small, dining room table. Nice.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

MorrisonCharles said:


> Polywood.


I think that Polywood is a brand name of plastic furniture.
Here is an article of using composite decking to make outdoor furniture.

Composite Lumber for Woodworking Projects? - Woodworking | Videos | Plans | How To

Maybe even composite siding would work.
http://www.homedepot.com/b/Building-Materials-Siding-Composite-Siding/N-5yc1vZc8ik

Herb


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## CharleyL (Feb 28, 2009)

Star Board would be a great choice. It machines easily with woodworking tools, is totally rot proof, and handles UV very well. It comes in sheets like plywood in all of the common woodworking thicknesses.

https://www.wholesalemarine.com/sta...2c289c&gdfms=BD38740EED5A4D33A0C58424707E6F6B

I build exhibits for NC Science Museums and we are using less laminated plywood and more Star Board for building new exhibits. It's tough enough to resist kids much better than laminate over plywood.. We frequently build using pocket screws, but there are now glues available that can be used with it too. 

It would be my choice for something that needs to resist Weather as well as kids. If pocket holes are used with it, use the stainless steel pocket screws to avoid getting rust stains.

Scraps make great cutting boards too.. 

Charley


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## Daikusan (Apr 12, 2013)

Here is what I just bought for a picnic table top and seats. https://www.lowes.com/pd/ChoiceDek-...Beach-House-Gray-Composite-Deck-Board/3612034


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## Daikusan (Apr 12, 2013)

Stick486 said:


> now as fars a ''Big Blue'' which Bosch is known as... hmmmmmmm....


Hmmmmmm Blue Stick????>>>


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

CharleyL said:


> Star Board would be a great choice. It machines easily with woodworking tools, is totally rot proof, and handles UV very well. It comes in sheets like plywood in all of the common woodworking thicknesses.
> 
> https://www.wholesalemarine.com/sta...2c289c&gdfms=BD38740EED5A4D33A0C58424707E6F6B
> 
> ...


I used the Starboard to build the cabin on my boat about 10 years ago and it looks the same today and the boat has been in/on the saltwater ever since. It is great stuff at the time they didn't have any adhesives that would work on it. It is expensive material tho, paid around $400 for a 4'X8'x1/2" sheet back then.

Herb


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## papasombre (Sep 22, 2011)

I have no swimming pool so I'll pass.

Just kidding, Smitty


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

papasombre said:


> I have no swimming pool...


so move that to the top of the honey do list...


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## papasombre (Sep 22, 2011)

Stick486 said:


> so move that to the top of the honey do list...


Hi, Stick.

The lack of space does not allow it.:frown::frown:


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