New project for work

[Stigmorgan]

So the headteacher has asked about installing some benches under a shade sail that will blend in with the woodland theme I've been creating on site, my first thought is to keep it simple and use sleepers, I can make 2 benches from 3 sleepers if I cut 1 into 4 pieces at about 600 long and concrete 300 into the ground, this should give a seat height around 400 above ground, my dilemma is which sleepers would be best, they are all 2.4mX100mmX200mm
Treated brown hardwood
Treated brown softwood
Treated green softwood or
New untreated Oak
My personal preference would be oak but will it last being untreated and concreted into the ground?
Cost isn't an issue, I've given the school my "quote" based on using the Oak sleepers which are the most expensive at £49.95 on the website but the company have always given me a good 15-20% discount and free delivery when I order stuff for school as they are literally across the road

 

[HOJ]

Just a quick observation, I know you will know, but if I were making a seat, in this environment, I would be cautious using Oak, as it will release Tannins and treated timber may leach out any treatment/colour, when it gets wet, and consequently run the risk of staining etc.

There are regulations for "playground furniture", and the materials allowed to be used, along with maintenance conditions, whether they would apply in this case I don't know, but we have to have inspections on the gear we have at the village hall public play park.

 

[Katomi woodsmith]

We used sleeper on our century project
The kids were forever getting tar on their cloths
Be warned

 

[akirk]

best wood might be something like greenheart or opepe or ekki (though sharpen your chainsaw!)
they are all used as marine timbers for dockyard gates etc and are fairly indestructible - I have offcuts for sitting around the firepit and they happily sit out in all weathers and will outlast me!

 

[paulm]

I made some simple benches from treated softwood sleepers for the woodland a few years ago.

One sleeper per bench, just dug into the ground and lasting very well.

Recessed the uprights into the tops, nice tight joints to help reduce racking, and secured with timberlok screws at an angle from below, nice and solid

 

[nickds1]

I used to make green oak furniture for exterior use for the National Trust. We also used kiln dried oak for more complex work like the Lutyens and Clem Churchill benches at Sissinghurst and Chartwell. Sissinghurst gets about 200,000 visitors a year, many gravitationally challenged, and they survive that!

Green oak is heavy and hard to work with, but superb for rustic exterior benches & tables etc.

Never any problems with leaching of tanins etc. just need to understand seasonal movement.

 

[niall Y]

Greenheart survives by being a pretty noxious timber, One certainly wouldn't want a splinter of this especially not in ones rear end as they can go septic.