# Softwood for outdoors?



## bricor61 (2 Jun 2012)

I have built a garden bench and table using treated timber which turned out ok. I was disappointed in the finish of the treated wood and wondered if ordinary timber planed finish as available at local merchants would do for outdoor furniture. I contacted one of the big stain makers and they said ok as long as the timber was treated with 2 coats of preservative and staine d it should be ok. Any ideas?
Cheers
Brian


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## frosties (2 Jun 2012)

the timber of the future is accoya. Very sustainable, lon lasting 1 % max movement and 25 year outdoor guarantee. Its radiata pine pickled to become harder than TEAK and IROKO!! I've not used it yet but my tutor is a well known pioneer in sustainable design and he is raving about it. 

Its bassically a pickled wood as far as I understand


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## kostello (2 Jun 2012)

i have used accoya and i works a treat.........................


and it's treated with acetyl which occurs naturally inthe timber anyway so no horrible chemicals


example...................


http://www.accoya.com/projects/project/sneek-bridge/


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## Argus (2 Jun 2012)

.

Larch is durable, available in most parts of the UK, originating as forrestry timber.

It tends to have a few knots, but if you are patient you may find some clear lengths.
For a softwood it works quite well.

Personally, I'd stay away from ordinary 'softwood' that you get retail in builders merchants, if it doesn't rot, it twists.

..


.


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## brianhabby (3 Jun 2012)

When I built my adirondack chair about 7 years ago, I just used scraps of softwood that I had knocking about the garage. I was very happy with the result and thought of finding a suitable hardwood to build a long lasting one but never bothered.

I gave the chair several coats of paint, including a good undercoating, and it is only now beginning to look like the paint needs touching up in places, the structure of the chair is still fine.

One thing I did with the feet where they touch the floor is to put a small piece of timber running at right angles to the leg so that I didn't have endgrain on the floor.

Must say that accoya looks interesting though, more info at http://www.accoya.com/

regards

Brian


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