Firepit bench opinions

[BigOakAdot]

I started a thread earlier about some walnut I planned on using for some benches around my new firepit. I mentioned I was looking for a finish to use on green wood.

I'm starting to think maybe I should build the benches and leave them unfinished. Maybe throw a finish on there at the end of the summer when they re dried a little more.

My question is do I need to worry about the sun greying the wood? I'm not opposed to sanding the crap out of the wood down the road before I finish it. For what it's worth I'd rather not cover the benches when not in use because it will be an eye sore.

Thanks,

BOA

 

[rarefish383]

Yep, my Poplar bench was not sealed and it turned grey. About 2 or 3 years later I knocked it apart, re sanded it, and used Spar urethane. It did loose a lot of color from the first sanding to the last. It had lots of bright yellow, green and some red. This what it looked like after the Spar Urethane started to peel of. It lasted about five years and started getting spongy where the animals chewed on it, Joe.



This is what it looked like at it's worse, Joe.

 

[BobL]

Depending on where in Australia, we get about 2 years out of any finish so you either sand back every year or learn to live with the grey.
Our hardwoods don't usually go spongy unless its in really wet areas of which there are few.
We have major termite problems and that's what usually gets them in the end if they are touching the ground.

I have a slab that I put on two limestone blocks in the back garden to act as a seat some 21 years ago. Its total grey but still nice and hard and totally usable.

The sapwood on some of our gums turns silver (reflective grey) which looks stunning especially when contrasted against the internal colour of the wood.
I've made a pair of book ends from a piece of firewood from the same tree as the garden seat was made out of and these have hints of the silver.

 

[rarefish383]

Here's my cheap 10 minute fire pit bench. Pine that was going on the burn pile to get rid of it. Then I started getting bored of standing around watching the fire, so 10 minutes later I was sitting. No finish required, lasted 5 or 6 years, then they went on the fire, Joe.

 

[BobL]

Hey RF that fence around the fire pit looks like the fence we had around the back lawn to stop the dogs re-enacting the Battle of the Somme every few days.

 

[rarefish383]

That's where I got it! Didn't you notice the big hole in your fence , Joe

 

[BigOakAdot]

So if i put them in with no finish I'll be able to sand it down and bring back the nice color? I don't want to bother using walnut if it's going to grey out super bad.

I did mill some large deodor cedar (spelling) a few months back that I could use. Obviously walnut is ideal but don't want to waste it if it's going to lose its beauty.

 

[rarefish383]

I would think you could sand it back to good color. But then you are restricted to what joints you use. Each time you sand it it's getting thinner, so, mortise and tenon joints won't work. I think I'd try the Cedar first and save the Walnut for something indoors. Although, I was going to use Black Walnut for side boards on my dump trailer, just so people would say, "I can't believe you did that with Walnut", Joe.

 

[BigOakAdot]

I plan on using I beams for the legs because I had some scrap and didn't want to have any wood on the ground.

As for the bench and back im using heavy wall metal conduit set directly in the seat to support the back. Should be simple and easy enough.

 

[rarefish383]

Sounds strong. Have you posted pictures of benches like that? I seem to remember them, Joe.

 

[BigOakAdot]

Nope. I had a cousin who actually passed recently and he worked for valley forge national park. They made an oak slab bench in his memory that was pretty simple. Just two thick slabs and seemed to be mounted the way I mention above. That's where I got the idea so we will see how it works out.

 

[BigOakAdot]

 

[BigOakAdot]

My first attempt at the same style bench. Still not certain if I'm going to go with the I beam legs or not. Any suggestions on what route to go with wood? Im trying to avoid having the wood directly in the ground.

 

[carhartt]

If its something I spent time on building and its just going to sit outside, I throw a coat or 2 of deck water seal on it. Reapply later if I feel like it. It helps for a while but not forever.

 

[Timberframed]

You could spray or roll on linseed oil in 2 or 3 liberal coats and walk away trouble free for 5 years. Then do it again. If you have air and a gun you can do that piece in 2 minutes. What touches the ground could be "spackled" with a good silicone caulk and putty knife. Bigoak, give me a call. Lost your # when the phone went through the wash/dry cycle.

 

[BigOakAdot]

I appreciate the info guys. I don't have linseed oil but I do have tung oil. Would tung oil work as well?

John I'll shoot you a text so you have my number again.

BOA

 

[Timberframed]

Tung is just as good. Remember; some of the pieces we create will last centuries and some just part of a lifetime. Don't sweat it. There's still plenty of wood left last I checked. Have fun with it all.

 

[carhartt]

Its amazing what a cpl guys from Pa, 1 guy from Md and 1 guy from Australia have in common.
I have used linseed oil before also. The gallon I have has a yellow tint, so most just get the clear deck seal.

 

[Adamant]

You could spray or roll on linseed oil in 2 or 3 liberal coats and walk away trouble free for 5 years. Then do it again. If you have air and a gun you can do that piece in 2 minutes. What touches the ground could be "spackled" with a good silicone caulk and putty knife. Bigoak, give me a call. Lost your # when the phone went through the wash/dry cycle.

This could be a location and wood dependent result. In my location with large swings in temperature and humidity spraying our outdoor play equipment (oregon/doug fir) with raw linseed oil 2 coats (1st 50/50 turps, 2nd 80/20 linseed/turps I think) darkened the wood and needed doing again in about 6 months. I still like this approach because it's easy. But you may want to coat your walnut with shellac first to limit/prevent the oil from soaking in and changing the colour of the wood. If you're the one that posted about whether or not to coat green wood, well, my understanding is that shellac is pretty hard, so if the wood shrinks the finish may flake. In your case the sanding job looks like it would be pretty easy, so either way (let it dry first/coat to slow down drying then sand off if/when there's a reason to) seems viable, especially if you live in a mild climate.

 

[lindnova]

Linseed oil will promote mildew if out in the elements. I tried it on the boy's sandbox.