I had an Elm tree fall due to a wind storm recently. It had been dead for some time and had been home to many woodpeckers, squirrels, etc. As I was cutting up the tree, one rather large piece (about 4′ tall with a 12″ diameter) caught my eye. There are a lot of cool holes and such and would like to use it for something outdoors (not sure what as of yet). So, I want to try and preserve it/keep it in tact. Any suggestions as the best preservative and/or treatment to minimize or stop rot?
Thanks!
Replies
There is this 'stuff' known as CPES (Clear-penetrating-epoxy sealer, IIRC) made by Smith & Co. People who use it swear by it. Not cheap. Reportedly smells really nasty.
bossjimark
Elm is extremely prone to decay and rot.. not a good wood for outdors use (or anyplace that gets damp/wet)
Thanks for the input. I guess, frenchy, you would recommend then not wasting my time and money on using the product mentioned above? If that stuff is expensive, it would cost a fortune as it is a big piece of lumber.
Edited 12/7/2006 7:08 pm ET by bossjimmark
bossjimark,
I must confess (or have other posters point it out) that I am not a fan of Elm.. To me it does nothing well. if you saw it it leaves a fuzz that cannot be easily sanded off, if you try to plane it you'd better have a darn sharp plane because it's interlocked grain drives normal people daffy!
Some have commented how particular pieces can look beautiful what with it's crazy grain and vivid colors, Me, I'm such a wood bigot that I fail to see the beauty.
Worst of all every splinter I get from elm tends to fester and infect.
Finally, it doesn't even make good firewood. I suspect that it's the only wood you can burn that creates negative BTU's ;-)
Frankly a piece of elm wood that size is going to find the nearest available land fill.
Frenchy,I have no experience to dispute your low opinion of elm as a wood. As a tree, however, it is one of the most beautiful in the landscape, as its few surviving members can testify. There is a strain of Ulmus that is resistant to Dutch elm disease, and perhaps it will make a comeback, now that our ash trees are in peril. As for wood, I guess I'll stick with cherry and maple.Glaucon
If you don't think too good, then don't think too much...
Glaucon,
Yes, it does make a pretty fast growing tree.. You really need to buy some just to experiance the frustration and infections that follow.. heck if you pay the shipping I'll give you some..
Actually Frenchy, there is something a bit more to this. Dutch elm disease killed hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of elm trees. Many eastern cities (especially in New England) were denuded... New Haven, Connecticut- once known as "The Elm City" was the Elm City no more. But, a few elms survived. In Princeton, NJ, a number of elms, a few of which were >150 years old showed no sign of the disease, despite generations of exposure that led to the death of all their neighbors. Saplings near by, presumably seeded from these trees were similarly unaffected. It appears that these trees are naturally genetically resistant to DED, and they pass their resistance along to their progeny. Natural selection has resulted in the progression of these genotypes (a similar process underlies the development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria). Now cuttings and cloned samples of these trees are being sold an distributed. It appears that in this case, Princeton has triumphed over Yale...What is particularly heartening is the fact that this Princeton Elm, preserves the natural fanning crown of the American Elm, a prized feature that related elm species do not always share. So perhaps the elm is on the way back from extinction. I like to think of it as the "Intelligent Design Theory of Charles Darwin". (!?)Glaucon
If you don't think too good, then don't think too much...
Glaucon,
Minneapolis (and St. Paul, heck the whole midwest) used Elm trees extensively along boulevards and other roads. I too fondly remember those tree covered roads and the clouds of leaves kicked up by passing cars in the fall.
My experience with Elm dates back to those days when I tried to make lemonade from the death of trees due to Dutch Elm diseases. Like usual I can't do things things in small measures so I milled several extremely large trees, stickered them, up and the results soured me on elm forever..
Of nearly a thousand bd.ft. I got three keeper boards. Nothing I made was decent after a few years.
Too funny, frenchy! I haven't had the opportunity (or maybe bad luck) to work with elm, so I have no opinion. Either way, thanks to everyone for the info. Maybe I will try preserving it and see what happens. I can think of worse ways to spend my time.
Hi there,
I'm kind of late getting in on this thread, but I've been throught the exact same scenario as you. When I moved into the house where I live there was a big, dead elm behind the house. I enjoyed watching the woodpeckers eating bugs out of it, but after awhile I began to worry that the tree would fall on my kitchen ell when the cold winter northerlies blew. I decided to cut it down, and since I was having some locust milled on a friend's woodmizer, I went ahead and had these logs milled too. It really is bizarre stuff, quite attractive in an off-beat sort of way. I stacked it carefully, well stickered and covered, with provision for air circulation. In a year, about 90% was severely warped, like nothing I'd ever seen, and alot of it was wet and punky. I made a funky live edged table out of it, and burned the rest in a bonfire this fall. So I guess that I'm saying that it was an interesting and educational experience, but don't do it if your justification is getting a load of nice wood. A while back there was a thread about someone getting a big oak log out of his woods and having it milled, and everyone jumped on his case about what a waste of time it would be. I hope he did it anyway. I really enjoy cutting my own wood, and being a part of the process, from the stump to the last coat of wax. It makes you a more complete, and thoughtful woodworker. Good luck.
bugeye,
I second the tree to finished product approach. To me the greatest joy in wood working is when those boards come thru that planner for the first time and you see the beauty that nature has wraught for the first time.
There is a satisfaction that you recieve that you will never get by selecting the best pieces from a stack..
The Smith & Co. stuff is great and like most epoxy it stinks so defiently use it outside or a very well ventilated shop. Anyway a good product and it will stop any rot but it is not a finish you would need a top coat of some sort.
Troy
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled