bench ends

[michelle morgan]

Has anyone got any advice regarding the best wood for repairing an outside bench? We have two old wrought iron bench ends which need their wood replacing. We are getting conflicting advice regarding the best type of wood and appropriate treatments.

Many thanks

 

[charlie-ia]

cheap and cheerfull? we had a spare couple of ends and fitted some planks from a pallet. wont last for ever, but did fit without any work except for taking out the nails, and was free.
class it as recycling?

 

[plumbers mate]

Last time I tried to dismantle a pallet I was horrified at how strongly put together it was. Ended up with broken wood, spelks and bruised hands.
The ones with hardboard on are even worse.

 

[charlie-ia]

use a long lever, and weight down the other end of the pallet. the plank that refused to break from the pallet before is better than a crowbar. we use the wood for heating mostly, so im getting to be a dab hand. gentle bouncing near the nails is the way to go. force it and they bite!

hmm, tried looking up spelks. thought it was a type of splinter

http://www.bowdoin.edu/~dbensen/Spec/Paraselenodontia.

maybe i was bitten by a three-horned caripoo or a blue-maned dogbunny. you live and learn

 

[L1zzy]

Going back to the bench I have renovated two benches like this in teh last 5 years or so and have always just used cheap and cherrful timber from a builders merchants I have however painted the slats and they have lasted well .However some drawbacks are: this cheaper wood can be a bit bouncy when more than 1 person sits on the bench, and also if teh edges are squared off then you get ridges on your B*M so advice would be to slightly 'chamfer' the edges. You could get someone to cut you some oak I guess but then it becomes rather expensive and sort of spoils the object of teh exercise in renovation? Also bear in mind you'll probably need replacment bolts and nuts. to attach the wood to the frame.Its one of those jobs that can become more expensive than at first seems! Enjoyable tho even if it only last 2 years!

 

[biffvernon]

Oak would be most weather resistant and last a long time. Ash is strong and bouncy. I've got one that I did in beech, not because it's the best wood but because I happened to have some the right size. It's lasted several years and stays outside all year.

 

[Penners]

If you're anything like me, use the cheapest timber you can lay your hands on. Because your bench will be full of drill holes, saw cuts, chisel marks, router trenches and other damage long before the wood rots away.

 

[Nemesis]

Penners - are you in any way related to my other half? Or is this s a general male trait?

 

[Penners]

We're obviously both members of the Great Brotherhood of Hackers & Bashers. Society crest - a gashed thumb rampant on a field of wood chippings.