As you build outdoor furniture, here are a few general tips to help make the work little easier and the finished project last a little longer.
- When you place boards side by side, as on a table top, leave 1/8" - 1/4" space between each board to allow the wood room to swell and shrink.
Wood will expand up to 1/4" across the grain for every 12" of width.
Expansion with the grain is negligible.
- If you attach the board with nails, drive each nail at a slight angle.
Vary this angle back and forth with every nail.
This "hooks" the parts together.
- Whenever possible, try to orient a board so that the "bark side" face up in the completed project.
This helps the lumber shed water.
- If at all possible, never attach a board with the end grain facing up, exposed the rain.
Cap it, turn it on a lathe, or cut ut at an angle to help the end of the board shed water.
- Seal the bottom ends of legs with melted paraffin wax or spar varnish to keep them from soaking up water.
- On those few occasions where you need to glue a small piece in place, use waterproof epoxy or resorcinol glue.
Epoxy usually dries clear, and resorcinol cures to a dark brown.
- If you intend to apply a preservative stain or paint the project, apply the first coat before you assemble the parts.
This ensures that all the surface will be coated.
- You can paint or stain pressure-treated lumber, but it is wise to wait a month or so and give the wood a chance to dry out.
There is no need to keep it in your shop while it dries; the lumber will dry well enough for painting out in the sun.
- Avoid finishing outdoor furniture with polyure-thane.
Most brands of poly-U dry too hard to expand and contract with the wood when it is placed out of doors.
After year or so, the finish will peel off.
Use spar varnish or a 1:1 mixture of spar varnish and tung oil instead.
- If you plan to finish your outdoor furniture project, cedar and cypress accept finishes better than other species.
Redwood, white pine, and sugar pine are also good choice for finishing.
- When you place boards side by side, as on a table top, leave 1/8" - 1/4" space between each board to allow the wood room to swell and shrink.
Wood will expand up to 1/4" across the grain for every 12" of width.
Expansion with the grain is negligible.
- If you attach the board with nails, drive each nail at a slight angle.
Vary this angle back and forth with every nail.
This "hooks" the parts together.
- Whenever possible, try to orient a board so that the "bark side" face up in the completed project.
This helps the lumber shed water.
- If at all possible, never attach a board with the end grain facing up, exposed the rain.
Cap it, turn it on a lathe, or cut ut at an angle to help the end of the board shed water.
- Seal the bottom ends of legs with melted paraffin wax or spar varnish to keep them from soaking up water.
- On those few occasions where you need to glue a small piece in place, use waterproof epoxy or resorcinol glue.
Epoxy usually dries clear, and resorcinol cures to a dark brown.
- If you intend to apply a preservative stain or paint the project, apply the first coat before you assemble the parts.
This ensures that all the surface will be coated.
- You can paint or stain pressure-treated lumber, but it is wise to wait a month or so and give the wood a chance to dry out.
There is no need to keep it in your shop while it dries; the lumber will dry well enough for painting out in the sun.
- Avoid finishing outdoor furniture with polyure-thane.
Most brands of poly-U dry too hard to expand and contract with the wood when it is placed out of doors.
After year or so, the finish will peel off.
Use spar varnish or a 1:1 mixture of spar varnish and tung oil instead.
- If you plan to finish your outdoor furniture project, cedar and cypress accept finishes better than other species.
Redwood, white pine, and sugar pine are also good choice for finishing.