Fir for outdoor furniture?


nod

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We recently had some work done to the house, and I salvaged 6 - 6"x6"x7' fir beams/posts. I still have a bowling alley slab and was thinking a table may be best usage of the materials. Only issue is where to use that table? Outside dining table is only option, and the wife would love to do that. IF I go that route, how good/bad is this idea?

And what about finish? Should I be thinking spar varnish or some other type of marine safe finish? Would only smart thing to do is build a thick film finish to keep this baby protected? I know this isn't exactly ideal placement for this type of build, but I'd like to take advantage of the materials at hand. Thanks for the help!

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On a covered porch, yes, on a hard patio or deck, maybe, on the lawn, no ! If you add some sort of waterproof foot/ pad/ leveler etc under the legs so they don't sit in water the fir should hold up pretty well. Bowling alley maple ? I wouldn't use that outside in the open.

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I made this windmill out of fir strips from the "big box" store in May of 2011 and it is still standing to this day.

It is weather-worn and grey but not rotting. It is held together with Titebond III and pin nails only. No finish at all.

Actually this is the second windmill that I built, the first one got blown over several times in our "famous Kansas breezes" and broken until it was no longer fixable. 

This one I staked down with 2'-0'' long angle iron and it has not gotten blown over for 4 years so far.

 

 

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I say GO FOR IT!

 

Rog

 

PS This is an example of the kind of abuse "Old Brezzy I" was exposed to no wind, just ice!

 

 

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:) Rog

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Damn Rog! We definitely won't have weather like that here! I'm sure my lowly table will hold up just fine then.

 

Steve,

The panel I'm thinking of using is actually middle of the lane (all fir). I do have a section with part maple with walnut arrows, but think that may be a bit too nice for outdoor use (it was planned as a gift for my brother in-law, but not sure they have the space in the end). Long story short - it would ALL be fir (on a redwood deck). I can definitely use some leveling feet or something to get it off the ground so water's not seeping up into the end grain. We actually replaced these posts holding up a living room with pressure yrated. These have been outside for a good 40-50 years, but under many layers of paint. I was originally thinking they'd be great split in half and used for an outdoor table top, but since i've got the alley panel, might as well keep these posts instact to hold up something else.

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