Wood - Advice

[Phoenix]

Hello. Can somebody please give me some advice on a six by six inch by 1 and a half inches thick piece of hard wood for a project.

I would like a piece that a router can cut through but will also be tough and hopefully weather resistant. Hopefully not too expensive.

Thank You

[Count Steer]

Hello. Can somebody please give me some advice on a six by six inch by 1 and a half inches thick piece of hard wood for a project.

I would like a piece that a router can cut through but will also be tough and hopefully weather resistant. Hopefully not too expensive.

Thank You

Oak? I got some pieces from a local (it was council but they handed it over to a local wildlife organisation) wood yard near Box Hill* - they make benches and footpath signs from oak. So seasoned offcuts were available.

* I think there's talk of it closing

[mangocrazy]

A few more details on the project would be helpful. If it involves stuff like external shed doors or gates, then Western Red Cedar is about the best you can get for longevity.

[Asian Boss]

Beware the wood goons.

[slowsider]

It's a misleading thread title for a forum full of old fellas.

[MingtheMerciless]

Mayope.

[Phoenix]

Thank You. I'll have a mooch around for some Oak or Western Red Cedar.

Mango', it's for a small plinth.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Red Cedar looks great, but by eck its expensive! I briefly looked when we were doing our decking but quickly looked away.

We've got Red Balau (sic) which looks pretty decent.

The guy who did it said the absolute dogs danglies is Ipe (he pronounced it "eeepee") but that apparently makes RWC look cheap and easy to work with.

[demographic]

I wouldn't use Wetern Red Cedar for decking, its soft enough that it's easy to put a thumbnail mark in it.

Great for cladding (I've clad a college extension with it) and looks good for a few months til it goes sort of concrete grey but being quite acidic its main property is it's resistance to insect attack.
So, it looks (and smells) lovely for a while, then goes a pretty boring grey and then lasts like that for yonks.

In my eyes, oak is nice if its quartersawn and you can see the silvery medullary rays but it's often not sawn that way and the grain can be kind of plain.
Elm and Cherry often have nice grain for a UK wood, same witb Ash.
I might have a bit of Ash kicking about in more or less the size yer after but I'm not promising owt cos I'm not sure and I'm pretty sure its not the best grain or I'd remember what I had so I'll have a ratch for it.

I'll look tomorrow and if I don't post anything up, poke me with a pointy stick cos I'll have forgotten.

[mangocrazy]

I suggested Weatern Red Cedar as I wasn't sure what the application was, and I know it lasts very well outside. It is quite soft, so it's definitely a no-no for decking but for gates, doors and cladding it's good but expensive. I've found that an annual coating of Danish oil not only brings the colour back but also improves its already good lasting qualities.

[Count Steer]

I don't think a 6*6in piece will do much decking.

As it's for a plinth and is going to be routed I'm intrigued (nosy ). Wotcha putting on it mister? Sculpture? Bird feeder?

If it's on the ground will it be getting water/damp under it?

Out of interest I googled 'wood yard near me' and found a 'fine timber' merchant and a couple of sawmills among all the builders merchants. Also, about 500 yards away is a place that makes bespoke windows, doors, kitchens etc. If you can find any of those you'll probably get all sorts of offcuts of different woods.