Which wood for deck chairs

[ByronBlack]

Swmbo has tasked me with making a couple of deck chairs. It has to be hardwood and relatively inexpensive and something that will take a stain/treatment to preserve it. What say you? And as I'm a full galoot these days it must be relatively easy to work.

My first thought was meranti or sapele for cost but not sure of their stain taking abilities.

Your thoughts appreciated.

 

[wizer]

Iroko ? You could try the suppliers of hardwood decking to see if they have any deals or sizeable offcuts going. http://www.ajsmith.uk.com/ for example.

 

[big soft moose]

what about this

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/mahogany-timber-h ... 3cac137b9b

local(ish) to you too (it utile btw not proppoer mahogany)

btw i think the iroko/sapele/mahog woods get oiled to preseve them rather than stained

 

[CHJ]

I would have though that Beach would have been first choice.

I know all the ones we had over the years were Beech.

 

[ByronBlack]

Tom - I've worked with Iroko before with hand-tools and had mixed results, it is quite cheap though, so I'll keep this in mind. Anyone know what this is like in regards to durability outside?

BSM - good spot! I'll email the chap as apparently he has 10 tonne of this stuff, and I can use this for other projects even if I don't use it for the chairs, although this looks like a nice choice.

CHJ - Beech is also another good shout, but isn't that a lot harder to work with hand-tools? I used it for my workbench, and used mostly power-tools.

 

[OPJ]

Hi Colin,

Iroko is highly durable but, where the grain tends to interlock, it's not always easy to work (plus, there's the hazard of the dust). Sapele can also have interlocking grain issues but tends to be a little easier to work, I think. Then again, despite what many believe, it's not as durable as iroko. Not worked with utile, unfortunately, though it should fair better outdoors more so than sapele. I don't like meranti, personally, although it is easier to work.

I'm not sure of the durability of beech, either. You could use oak (either English or European - the American stuff isn't durable) but then, that's probably too expensive for you, at around £40ft³ for 1in boards.

 

[wizer]

As an example, I used Iroko for a bath panel I made in September last year. It gets much more of a battering from water then I ever imagined. Not just from my daughter (the seal), but from all the showers we have too. It's shown no sign of degradation at all, even the colour is still as it was the day I finished it. OK so that's just 6 months. But I'm confident it's going to last very well.

I've worked it with hand saws and can't say it's particularly hard work. I'd quite like to build a couple of sun loungers myself as I have one or two boards of it :shock: :lol:

As an open question to all. I take it when making outside furniture, it's best not to keep it in your workshop longer than you have to? i.e part seasoning the wood whilst working and then putting it outside to essentially de-season?

 

[OPJ]

I wouldn't worry about it too much, Tom, as long as the wood isn't bone dry. :wink: It's going to expand and contract, split and crack with annual changes through the seasons, anyway. I've made gates from timber that is both air and kiln-dried and the wood is always going to move.

 

[Sgian Dubh]

I'm not sure of the durability of beech, either. You could use oak (either English or European - the American stuff isn't durable) but then, that's probably too expensive for you, at around £40ft³ for 1in boards.

Beech is a non-durable species. It rots very quickly used outside and therefore isn't generally suitable for exterior use. American white oaks are classified as durable, but they are generally not as durable as either of the two main European oaks. American red oaks on the other hand, not seen much here in the UK, are in the non-durable category. Slainte.

 

[Racers]

Hi,

All the deckchairs I have owned where Beech, I just cut up a couple at the weekend that the canvas had gone and where wobbly, we did keep them out side all one "summer" so they got some weathering.

Pete

 

[Max Power]

I seem to recall deck chairs being a pale coloured wood , beech is not durable , but arent deck chairs normally brought inside?

 

[Harbo]

Have a go at a pair of these Norm's designs - English Oak, brass fittings from Rockler:

Very comfy

Rod

 

[wizer]

Rod

My first thought was that they don't looks comfy. Do you use cushions on them?

I remember you building them, but can't remember if you did a full WIP. Was they hard to do? Lots of curves and joinery :?

 

[CHJ]

Swmbo has tasked me with making a couple of deck chairs. ....

Looks like cross purposes are at work here.
Being of a background and a generation where first class cruise liner travel did not compute I relate Deck Chairs to this pattern;

Over a 30-35 year life span ours were re-canvased several times.

Never occurred to me we were talking about Decking Chairs left out in all weathers.

 

[Harbo]

Tom - they are very comfortable even without pads. The curves fit your body and the back is adjustable for rake. The design is based on Steamer Loungers used on Cruise ships.

Every piece is curved and not the easiest thing to make, though it would have been easier if I'd seen Norm's video of how he did it (which you lent me after I had made it?).
Basically Norm uses plywood templates as a guide for a router. I used my bandsaw and spokeshaves!
I still have another one to make

I bought the brass kits in the States, will probably be very expensive to ship as they are quite heavy?

Rod

 

[ByronBlack]

Rod - that chair looks fab, better not show that to my SWMBO otherwise my tuit-list will grow ever longer.

Chas - you are right in regards to Deck Chairs - the one you pictures is exactly what I need to make.

With all the info so far, I'm thinking Iroko is seemingly the best choice, both durable and cheap, and reasonably easy to hand-work.

What would be a good choice of finish for Iroko?

 

[wizer]

Finishing to keep colour for outdoor furniture is futile unless you are covering it/bringing it in often. I used Osmo Hard Wax Oil on the bath panel and it looks good to my eye. You might want to use a generic Tung Oil for outdoors.

 

[OPJ]

Tom's got a point although, I've been reading some very good things about Osmo's UV Oil - here.

 

[Max Power]

Wow Ive been using sikkens microporous woodstain , but having seen that picture will definitely be using the osmo next time

 

[ByronBlack]

That Osmo looks like it'll do the trick.

So, it seems then that I'm going to go with Iroko + Osmo. Thanks for all the help chaps - I'll be sure to add some WIP's when I get tuit.

Cheers.