# Replacement Wood for Outdoor Chair



## JIMMIEM (Apr 4, 2010)

I have to make a replacement seat slat for an outdoor chair. I'm guessing that it is White Oak due to the grain pattern. The chair is stained and urethaned and only outdoors during the summer months (New England). The only source for white oak near me is a bit of a drive. Is there another wood that I could use instead? The chair is well made and not a cheapo and I would like it to look good.


----------



## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

There aren't too many other woods that have the distinctive "ray" pattern that white oak has. Red oak is more common but is not as pronounced besides being a different color and texture. https://www.google.ca/search?q=medu...2oCQDQ&ved=0CC4QsAQ&biw=1280&bih=861#imgdii=_

Maybe you could get a suitable piece shipped to you.


----------



## Semipro (Mar 22, 2013)

+1 Charles is right on you will have a hard time finding anything that will stain and finish to match if you only need one piece go online and have it shipped to you.
Probably going to cost little more but truth of the matter is it will also look a lot better
And like the famous Canadian says do it right


----------



## OPG3 (Jan 9, 2011)

Let your fingers do the walking and let UPS or FedEx do the driving if the distance is great. You may need to make a minumum order, but it will better spread-out on your cost per board/foot.

Otis Guillebeau from Auburn, Georgia


----------



## JIMMIEM (Apr 4, 2010)

The piece I need to replace is 16 inches long and 5/8 inches X 5/8 inches. They're seat slats. I've been installing red oak flooring (Muskoka from Canada) and I was thinking of using a piece of this. Do you think anyone would notice? I'm not sure how the red oak will work outdoors. If I could find a piece of white oak flooring I'd be all set.  Question for you....how come no white oak flooring from Canada?


----------



## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Try staining it and see if you can make it match. Color is probably more important than any other factor. In the end, it is you that has to live with the results.

Maybe one of the Canuck members from back east can answer the availability question. Oak doesn't grow in the 4 western provinces. In fact, the 3 prairie provinces only have poplar, spruce and pine forests, in that order of abundance. BC has other conifers and birch that can be sawn but the birch is not considered a commercial species.


----------



## JIMMIEM (Apr 4, 2010)

*Outdoor Wood*



Cherryville Chuck said:


> Try staining it and see if you can make it match. Color is probably more important than any other factor. In the end, it is you that has to live with the results.
> 
> Maybe one of the Canuck members from back east can answer the availability question. Oak doesn't grow in the 4 western provinces. In fact, the 3 prairie provinces only have poplar, spruce and pine forests, in that order of abundance. BC has other conifers and birch that can be sawn but the birch is not considered a commercial species.


I went by my local LL the other day to pick up some supplies and the sales person gave me a few pieces of white oak flooring which I can use to make the slats. Thank you for your responses and suggestions.


----------



## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

JIMMIEM said:


> The piece I need to replace is 16 inches long and 5/8 inches X 5/8 inches. They're seat slats. I've been installing red oak flooring (Muskoka from Canada) and I was thinking of using a piece of this. Do you think anyone would notice? I'm not sure how the red oak will work outdoors. If I could find a piece of white oak flooring I'd be all set. Question for you....how come no white oak flooring from Canada?


FYI on the differences between white and red oak--

White Oak is closed grain. So closed... that it is reknowned for it's quailities in being used as whisky barrels. I've seen it in exterior applications with a good exterior finish.

Red Oak, it's cousin, couldn't be further in quality's from it's own cousin. It is known as being very open grained... So open, that a trick with it is that if you smoke, you can actually blow smoke though it's grain, endgrain to endgrain. (reminds me of using straws) I see that as interior only kind of wood quality.


----------

