What Makes the Best Exterior Woods?
Choosing the right exterior woods for your projects doesn't have to be difficult when you understand the factors that make a good outdoor wood. In this episode we discuss the 5-6 factors that make a good exterior woods.
- Tyloses Content (White Oak vs Red Oak)
- Extractive Type and Content (Hard Maple vs Western Redcedar)
- Density and Pore Structure (Maple vs Red Oak)
- Availability and Size/shape of tree (Mesquite vs Douglas Fir)
- Price (Teak vs Iroko)
- Weight (Douglas Fir vs White Oak)
The first two points should be considered first and all pretty much equal in importance while the other points are in order of importance for durability.
I also mentioned a web page that makes a case for Black Locust but also highlights some of the issues too. Learn more about Black Locust here.
Feedback
Leonid asks for some clarification on how the composite Iroko flooring was made that I mentioned in episode 51.
emails
- Kyle asks about jobs for purchasing in the Lumber industry
- Aaron asks about growth ring differences from bottom to top of the tree
- Chris asks how to determine growth direction from a board
- Sean has some logs that are checking differently depending on how they are stored: vertically vs horizontally
Thanks to My New Patrons
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Regarding black locust. It seems like managing this wood is like raising mogwai. Do it right and you get Gizmo. Do it wrong and you get gremlins.
Re: using black locust – i just commissioned a sawmill to cut 1000bf of 1×6 fencing, and a bunch of 6×6 and 8×8 for a timber framed shed. Trees are about 36″ diameter and knotty but straight for 14′. Bad idea? At $3/bf actually cheaper than Pressure Treated by me by about .50 . (westchester county ny/fairfield county ct)
Great episode, but you never mentioned redwood. Do we have something against redwood?
Edit to my earlier question…I have begun working said black locust. Do you know of any vendors for adamantium tools/chisels/irons? I used to draw backgrounds on Wolverine for Mark Texiera so I should have a line, but nope.
as an owner of every issue of Wolverine let me say thank you