Choice of timber

[GrahamIreland]

Hi guys, was looking for some input on a good choice of timber for outdoors, seating, decking and trim on my steel boat. I had chosen southern yellow timber for this, but have discovered over time it has gone an awful nutty brown colour. I had one coat of Osmo uv protection on it.

Anyway, would like something in the mild yellow range like an ash, would this hold up outdoors?

Thanks

Graham

 

[MikeG.]

Osmo UV specifically says in its Data Sheet that it isn't for horizontal surfaces. It really was the wrong finish for those tasks.

No, ash is no use for those jobs either. I can't think of a pale timber that would be suitable, frankly.

 

[GrahamIreland]

Why is ash not suitable do you think?

 

[MikeG.]

It's not a durable timber.

 

[GrahamIreland]

Larch?

 

[Trevanion]

Iroko without a doubt in my mind.

 

[Mike Jordan]

I don't know of a light coloured timber for this job but will happily second the nomination of Iroko.

 

[GrahamIreland]

Yes the teak timbers would weather well I'm sure, but these are part functional part decorative, so a mild timber would go better with the paintwork. I'm also curious to try out different timbers, so I ordered a sample of Siberian Larch from EBay..

But I thought ash would be quite strong, don't they make tools and table tops with it?

 

[MikeG.]

"Strong" and "durable" are two very different things.

 

[Droogs]

i would suggest any of the following if you can get them:

Opepe - Nauclea diderrichii - used in sea defenses
Afzelia - Afzelia quanzensis
Umbila - Pterocarpus angolensis

 

[El Barto]

Larch?

Larch is used for a lot of outdoor applications and will probably serve you well. Ash is incredibly strong but prone to rot and insect attack.

Have a look also at oak, iroko, douglas fir and western red cedar.

Larch, douglas fir, red cedar and iroko are very common so should be reasonably priced.

 

[MikeG.]

Cedar is most definitely not suitable for seating if it isn't supported fully along its length. It is a soft, soft timber, and not terribly strong. I'd say this rules it out of contention as a deck material, too.

 

[El Barto]

It's used in decking all the time

 

[MikeG.]

Decking you look at, or decking you walk on? Because I can't see it lasting long for the latter.

 

[topchippyles]

Yew every time for me and its classed as a softwood but harder than most hardwoods

 

[clogs]

I've always been happy with Sikkens products for outdoor protection....easy to apply and not dif to recoat after a year or two....the product I used was more oily than plasticky n def not varnish....soaks in well.....
what about Parana PIne.....think they used to make masts out of it...????

 

[Doug71]

As soon as the word boat is mentioned I think Iroko and a few coats of marine varnish.

 

[GrahamIreland]

Has anyone ever experienced the discolouration I saw with the southern yellow pine. Starts out lovely, but within a summer it tarnished to brown. As I said I only did one coat of Osmo uv oil. Didn't expect it to turn so much..

 

[Trevanion]

Has anyone ever experienced the discolouration I saw with the southern yellow pine. Starts out lovely, but within a summer it tarnished to brown. As I said I only did one coat of Osmo uv oil. Didn't expect it to turn so much..

Practically every softwood turns brown/orange in UV light. Light-coloured woods tend to go darker with time, dark-coloured woods tend to go lighter.

 

[GrahamIreland]

Would Oak turn black when placed next to steel that is painted?

thanks