What hard/soft woods available?

[mono]

Hi,
I'm a carpenter moved over from Australia with experience in building kitchens and general carpentry.

I'm kitting-out a workshop to move into more joinery work/ furniture design and discovered I have very little knowledge of available timbers other than panels and ply!

Can anyone point me toward a good reference regarding the types of timbers - specifically hardwoods - available; their characteristics; intended use; prices etc

For example: I have a commission for some driveway gates in hardwood (to be painted). And I'm struggling to know which stock to use!

Any help appreciated.

Mono

 

[wizer]

Welcome Mono. First Question: Why on earth did you come to the UK from OZ?? If my missus was up for it i'd be out there like a shot!

Have a look at SL Hardwoods' Website. They have a list of timbers used frequently over here and their uses.

I'd say Iroko is the timber you need for gates.

 

[Steve Maskery]

Hi Mono, Welcome

I'd say Iroko is the timber you need for gates.

Not easy to paint though.
Steve

 

[TheTiddles]

If it is to be painted then I'd go for the cheapest properly hard wood around which I think is ash. Poplar is cheaper but is pretty soft, ash is hard, available kiln dried in good long straight lengths.

Depending how close you are it may be an idea for you to get to know Paul Goulden up near Andover

Aidan

 

[OPJ]

I agree with the comment on ash, which will take paint much better than oily iroko. The other alternative would be to make it from pressure-treated softwood, of course... :? You really need to machine everything first before you send it off to be treated. Even after it's been 'tanalised', you can experience some problems as this process seems to encourage the timber and joints to swell in places.

 

[Benchwayze]

Hi Mono, Welcome

I'd say Iroko is the timber you need for gates.

Not easy to paint though.
Steve

And not as weatherproof as the teak it's supposed to be a sub for!


Welcome Mono... You shouldv'e brought some Jarra with you! Someone here would doubtless have bought it !

I used Western Red Cedar for my side entrance gate.

If you are in the Midlands. (I see you're not!) But still look at the site. A lot of info there. They are friendly and advice is free.

www.sykestimber.co.uk
John

 

[Waka]

Mono

Welcome to the forum.

 

[Woodmagnet]

G'day Mono. Welcome to the forum (and the country) :wink:

 

[mono]

Thanks for your replies, guys. I came for the weather. Alas, no Jarrah in my bag though!

Have checked out websites offered and they look like good references - thanks.

Tanalised softwood not an option with my client.

Anyone have any experience with IDIGBO in regards to exterior, painted joinery?

cheers

Mono

 

[Steve Maskery]

Anyone have any experience with IDIGBO in regards to exterior, painted joinery?

Yes, and I'll not be rushing to use it again. Yes it's affordable and light to handle, but horrible in other ways. It can be very woolly. The dust is horrible, you'll need good DX and filtration. It's not very strong, very easy to break.

But it does sand quite well. If you are painting it you'll need a special primer I used one from Teknos. Forget ordinary paint, it just slides around and falls off. Idigbo bleeds yellow too, my windows streaked all my new brickwork the first time it rained. With the special primer this bleeding continues and comes through coat after coat.

No, I'll not be using it again, not as painted anyway, although I suppose it might make reasonable garden furniture (assuming you don't mind getting a yellow bum)
Cheers
Steve

 

[andy king]

Hi Mono,

Oak is always a great timber for outside work, but not the cheapest option.
My own choice, especially as it's going to be painted would be sapele.
It's used extensively as a mahogany substitute, and pretty durable, it's often used for doorsand windows, or if its a softwood frame, the cills are often in sapele.
it's about the cheapest durable 'red' hardwood, you can get it for around £20 -25 a cubic foot. Oak is likely to be around double that, and that's for American white, English/european will likely be more.

Hope this helps.
Andy

 

[lugo35]

someone please correct me if im wrong but dont think ash is much good outdoors????

 

[andy king]

Hi Lugo,

I'd agree with you.
Ash is more a furniture amd other internal uses type timber than external joinery, it doesn't do well in contact with the ground, it rots quickly, (although a gate shouldn't contact the ground of course...)
It's elasticity does mean it has been the choice for tool handles for centuries though, it bears up well to constant abuse from hammering, and with hoops fitted, has long been a choice for chisel handles.
Morris Minors had ash used as the framework, and I know from experience that that can rot in the joints once water gets in as I ended up repairing one my brother had...

hope this helps.

Andy

 

[Benchwayze]

someone please correct me if im wrong but dont think ash is much good outdoors????

Oh I dunno. My chisel handles seem to hold up well. Mind you, my old Morris Traveller's frame went rotten!

I like ash for furniture. I have to. SWIMBO wants it for her kitchen woodwork. I hope the steam don't bend it!

:roll:

John

 

[Benchwayze]

Anyone have any experience with IDIGBO in regards to exterior, painted joinery?

Yes, and I'll not be rushing to use it again.
No, I'll not be using it again, not as painted anyway, although I suppose it might make reasonable garden furniture (assuming you don't mind getting a yellow bum)
Cheers
Steve

I used it for the 'undercarriage' on the sideboard I built in 1965. I found it easy to work and had no trouble with finishing with french polish. It's still going strong. Overdue for replacement though, because the drawers are starting to wear!


J

 

[paulm]

This place may be fairly close to you as well as Gouldens ?

http://www.wlwest.co.uk/home/index.asp

Cheers, Paul

 

[Benchwayze]

Tanalised softwood not an option with my client.


Mono

Mono,
Certainly the client wouldn't want the untreated softwood that we get over here. Western Red Cedar will take paint well, but it isn't very hard. Lasts almost for ever though.

I think the sapele suggestion is good. It's used for window frames.
I had some salvaged, utile window frames given me by a neighbour. The frames had lasted about 12 years if I recall. Utile paints well, but it's an irritant timber to work with machines.
Hope this helps
J

 

[opener]

I use a lot of Idigbo for doors and windows (and gates). I agree that it is sometimes soft and wooly but only a very small proportion are like that.

It is mostly a fairly stable, light-medium weight durable hardwood. You do need sharp chisels as it is rather soft and when morticing it tends to smoke which I'm told is because it needs a slower speed morticing machine. But on the whole I have no problems and it's one of the cheaper hardwoods.

I prime it with aluminium primer if the job is being painted. I have also successfully primed Iroko with aluminium primer

Cheers
Malcolm