I’m looking for a wood species to replace my aging swing.
It hangs under a huge Post Oak tree in the yard. It stays out in the weather all the time, and gets stained from the oak flowers dropping on it. This is Texas, so the temps range from 20’s to 100’s. The current one is pine, painted with oil base primer and enamel. Lasted about 6 years.
I’m considering clear-heart Redwood, Cypress, Doug Fir, or mabey Western Red Cedar if I can find some with few knots. I’ll use SS screws to assemble. I’d rather not use PT as it gets splinters in my a**.
I’d also like to put a finish on it that would be easy to clean, and not be removed by a pressure washer like the paint.
I’ve got all kind of spray rigs, so I can do any kind of finish I want.
I don’t think Thompson’s Water seal is an option as it can be sticky in the summer.
Thanks in advance.
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Replies
Tom, I think cypress would be good, but have you considered white oak? It is also rot resistant, and much harder than the others.
Just a thought.
I am in Louisiana and have the same weather and humidity changes as Texas. I have a swing I made 25 years ago from cypress. After a few months it weathered to a nice silver/gray and has been the same all these years and the wood is still as solid as the day I hung it.
Edited 4/12/2004 5:23 pm ET by woodglue
Pressure treated works OK if you use pieces that are straight grain. My glider lives 100 percent outdoors in Orlando and is still kind to my a** even though it gets an annual pressure washer cleaning. I do have rust problems with the hardware, however.
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