We bought one of those garden benches the other year that comprise
wooden slats about 4ft long bolted to metal end sections that also
form the arms and legs.  I'll be honest: it hasn't been looked after
and many of the slats are rotten and broken. It was cheap and in a
sale and we have probably had our money's worth, but the metal parts
are still in good nick and I'm wondering about replacing the slats.  I
know it probably doesn't make sense economically but I don't like just
chucking things out.

Anyway the original wood looked like some kind of hardwood and there
were two sizes used: these were about 55 x 16 mm and about 35 x 16 mm.
The nearest match I can find that is easily accessible to me would be
softwood.  Would this be suitable if I gave it a good soaking in
preserver and painted it with a good outdoor furniture preservative
(and if so, what?).  It will stay outside all year but we have a cover
we can use over winter.  Otherwise, is there any particular type of
wood I ought to look for?

Thanks.
~~
Bob

bob.smithson@googlemail.com wrote:

> Anyway the original wood looked like some kind of hardwood and there
> were two sizes used: these were about 55 x 16 mm and about 35 x 16 mm.

Looks an ideal project for milling from some older coppice sweet chestnut.

AJH

bob.smithson@googlemail.com wrote:
> We bought one of those garden benches the other year that comprise
> wooden slats about 4ft long bolted to metal end sections that also
> form the arms and legs.  I'll be honest: it hasn't been looked after
> and many of the slats are rotten and broken. It was cheap and in a
> sale and we have probably had our money's worth, but the metal parts
> are still in good nick and I'm wondering about replacing the slats.  I
> know it probably doesn't make sense economically but I don't like just
> chucking things out.
> 
> Anyway the original wood looked like some kind of hardwood and there
> were two sizes used: these were about 55 x 16 mm and about 35 x 16 mm.
> The nearest match I can find that is easily accessible to me would be
> softwood.  Would this be suitable if I gave it a good soaking in
> preserver and painted it with a good outdoor furniture preservative
> (and if so, what?).  It will stay outside all year but we have a cover
> we can use over winter.  Otherwise, is there any particular type of
> wood I ought to look for?
> 
> Thanks.
> ~~
> Bob
I'm in the middle of doing this job too. I'm using reclaimed iroko from 
old school furniture. Supposed to be a 'poor mans' teak

Bob

bob.smithson@googlemail.com wrote:
> We bought one of those garden benches the other year that comprise
> wooden slats about 4ft long bolted to metal end sections that also
> form the arms and legs. 

Amazing, I've got the same type of bench and was about to post the same 
request to this newsgroup ...

Wood recomendations for me as well, sweet chestnut sounds like it will 
be difficult to get from my local builders merchant?

Iroko?

-- 
Adrian C

On Jul 1, 9:25 pm, bob.smith...@googlemail.com wrote:

> We bought one of those garden benches the other year that comprise
> wooden slats about 4ft long bolted to metal end sections that also
> form the arms and legs.  I'll be honest: it hasn't been looked after
> and many of the slats are rotten and broken. It was cheap and in a
> sale and we have probably had our money's worth, but the metal parts
> are still in good nick and I'm wondering about replacing the slats.  I
> know it probably doesn't make sense economically but I don't like just
> chucking things out.
>
> Anyway the original wood looked like some kind of hardwood and there
> were two sizes used: these were about 55 x 16 mm and about 35 x 16 mm.
> The nearest match I can find that is easily accessible to me would be
> softwood.  Would this be suitable if I gave it a good soaking in
> preserver and painted it with a good outdoor furniture preservative
> (and if so, what?).  It will stay outside all year but we have a cover
> we can use over winter.  Otherwise, is there any particular type of
> wood I ought to look for?
>
> Thanks.

Very doable. Redwood would be better than spruce, and of course more
expensive durable timbers even better.

http://www.wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Timber_basics


NT

Adrian C wrote:

>  sweet chestnut sounds like it will
> be difficult to get from my local builders merchant?
> 
readily available from a local coppice worker in the south though, mind
seasoning and machining it will involve a little diy. Personally I'd use it
green but the iron work will need protecting.

AJH

bob.smithson@googlemail.com wrote:
> We bought one of those garden benches the other year that comprise
> wooden slats about 4ft long bolted to metal end sections that also
> form the arms and legs.  I'll be honest: it hasn't been looked after
> and many of the slats are rotten and broken. It was cheap and in a
> sale and we have probably had our money's worth, but the metal parts
> are still in good nick and I'm wondering about replacing the slats.  I
> know it probably doesn't make sense economically but I don't like just
> chucking things out.
> 
> Anyway the original wood looked like some kind of hardwood and there
> were two sizes used: these were about 55 x 16 mm and about 35 x 16 mm.
> The nearest match I can find that is easily accessible to me would be
> softwood.  Would this be suitable if I gave it a good soaking in
> preserver and painted it with a good outdoor furniture preservative
> (and if so, what?).  It will stay outside all year but we have a cover
> we can use over winter.  Otherwise, is there any particular type of
> wood I ought to look for?
> 
> Thanks.
> ~~
> Bob
16mm is about 'hardwood flooring' size.

I've got loads of nice oak that thick.. actually latch and brace door 
stuff, but you can rip it down.


Possibly a tougher wood than the Iroko.

bob.smithson@googlemail.com wrote:
> We bought one of those garden benches the other year that comprise
> wooden slats about 4ft long bolted to metal end sections that also
> form the arms and legs.  I'll be honest: it hasn't been looked after
> and many of the slats are rotten and broken. It was cheap and in a
> sale and we have probably had our money's worth, but the metal parts
> are still in good nick and I'm wondering about replacing the slats.  I
> know it probably doesn't make sense economically but I don't like just
> chucking things out.

I've got three of those benches, two chairs & a table on my deck.  Must be 8 
years old easily, left out in all weathers.  No rot, nothing broken, seems 
in first class nick all round.  B& Q offer.

>
> Anyway the original wood looked like some kind of hardwood and there
> were two sizes used: these were about 55 x 16 mm and about 35 x 16 mm.
> The nearest match I can find that is easily accessible to me would be
> softwood.  Would this be suitable if I gave it a good soaking in
> preserver and painted it with a good outdoor furniture preservative
> (and if so, what?).  It will stay outside all year but we have a cover
> we can use over winter.  Otherwise, is there any particular type of
> wood I ought to look for?

Mine appear to be teak, but I doubt if they are.  They are hardwood.  Not 
sure if softwood would take the weight?


-- 
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

"The Medway Handyman"  wrote in message 
news:nwyak.19213$E41.16750@text.news.virginmedia.com...
> bob.smithson@googlemail.com wrote:
>> We bought one of those garden benches the other year that comprise
>> wooden slats about 4ft long bolted to metal end sections that also
>> form the arms and legs.  I'll be honest: it hasn't been looked after
>> and many of the slats are rotten and broken. It was cheap and in a
>> sale and we have probably had our money's worth, but the metal parts
>> are still in good nick and I'm wondering about replacing the slats.  I
>> know it probably doesn't make sense economically but I don't like just
>> chucking things out.
>
> I've got three of those benches, two chairs & a table on my deck.  Must be 
> 8 years old easily, left out in all weathers.  No rot, nothing broken, 
> seems in first class nick all round.  B& Q offer.
>
>>
>> Anyway the original wood looked like some kind of hardwood and there
>> were two sizes used: these were about 55 x 16 mm and about 35 x 16 mm.
>> The nearest match I can find that is easily accessible to me would be
>> softwood.  Would this be suitable if I gave it a good soaking in
>> preserver and painted it with a good outdoor furniture preservative
>> (and if so, what?).  It will stay outside all year but we have a cover
>> we can use over winter.  Otherwise, is there any particular type of
>> wood I ought to look for?
>
> Mine appear to be teak, but I doubt if they are.  They are hardwood.  Not 
> sure if softwood would take the weight?
                                                 ^^^^^^^^

Too many pies Dave??

;-)

RW wrote:
> "The Medway Handyman"  wrote in
> message news:nwyak.19213$E41.16750@text.news.virginmedia.com...
>> bob.smithson@googlemail.com wrote:
>>> We bought one of those garden benches the other year that comprise
>>> wooden slats about 4ft long bolted to metal end sections that also
>>> form the arms and legs.  I'll be honest: it hasn't been looked after
>>> and many of the slats are rotten and broken. It was cheap and in a
>>> sale and we have probably had our money's worth, but the metal parts
>>> are still in good nick and I'm wondering about replacing the slats.
>>> I know it probably doesn't make sense economically but I don't like
>>> just chucking things out.
>>
>> I've got three of those benches, two chairs & a table on my deck. Must be 
>> 8 years old easily, left out in all weathers.  No rot,
>> nothing broken, seems in first class nick all round.  B& Q offer.
>>
>>>
>>> Anyway the original wood looked like some kind of hardwood and there
>>> were two sizes used: these were about 55 x 16 mm and about 35 x 16
>>> mm. The nearest match I can find that is easily accessible to me
>>> would be softwood.  Would this be suitable if I gave it a good
>>> soaking in preserver and painted it with a good outdoor furniture
>>> preservative (and if so, what?).  It will stay outside all year but
>>> we have a cover we can use over winter.  Otherwise, is there any
>>> particular type of wood I ought to look for?
>>
>> Mine appear to be teak, but I doubt if they are.  They are hardwood.
>> Not sure if softwood would take the weight?
>                                                 ^^^^^^^^
>
> Too many pies Dave??
>
> ;-)

Its the OP's slats that have broken, mine are OK - so we should ask the 
question "who ate all the pies?"


-- 
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

On Jul 1, 11:49 pm, "The Medway Handyman"
 wrote:
> bob.smith...@googlemail.com wrote:

> > We bought one of those garden benches the other year that comprise
> > wooden slats about 4ft long bolted to metal end sections that also
> > form the arms and legs.  I'll be honest: it hasn't been looked after
> > and many of the slats are rotten and broken. It was cheap and in a
> > sale and we have probably had our money's worth, but the metal parts
> > are still in good nick and I'm wondering about replacing the slats.  I> > know it probably doesn't make sense economically but I don't like just
> > chucking things out.
>
> I've got three of those benches, two chairs & a table on my deck.  Must be 8
> years old easily, left out in all weathers.  No rot, nothing broken, seems
> in first class nick all round.  B& Q offer.
>
>
>
> > Anyway the original wood looked like some kind of hardwood and there
> > were two sizes used: these were about 55 x 16 mm and about 35 x 16 mm.
> > The nearest match I can find that is easily accessible to me would be
> > softwood.  Would this be suitable if I gave it a good soaking in
> > preserver and painted it with a good outdoor furniture preservative
> > (and if so, what?).  It will stay outside all year but we have a cover> > we can use over winter.  Otherwise, is there any particular type of
> > wood I ought to look for?
>
> Mine appear to be teak, but I doubt if they are.  They are hardwood.  Not
> sure if softwood would take the weight?

Softwood's fine weight wise. Its actually more comfortable as it bends
slightly to suit the rear. Last time I did this I used what would fit
in, which made the slats a few mm thicker rather than as per original.


NT

On Tue, 1 Jul 2008 13:25:10 -0700 (PDT), bob.smithson@googlemail.com
wrote:

>The nearest match I can find that is easily accessible to me would be
>softwood.  

You need to find something better.

Best option all round is probably some of the most resinuous larch you
can find. Any half-decent timber merchant will have this, and it's
cheap. This is the minimum level you should find before you're
satisfied.

My favourite, as already mentioned, would be sweet chestnut. This is a
UK hardwood that's noted for its rot resistance - it's often used to
make fence rails, just laid bare on the posts. NB _sweet_ chestnut, not
horse chestnut. It's no real use for furniture, so it's pretty cheap.
It's quite regional though, so it's easier to find around the Home
Counties than 'oop North. You might even find it coppiced locally, which
is best of all for sustainability.  A much under-rated timber for
outdoor work.

I don't use tropicals, unless I'm recycling. Iroko would be good,
although new Iroko is a pig for twisting when you rip it, which might be
a problem for thin slats.

I wouldn't use oak in thin slats, even though I've tons of it as
scrapwood.

Treating rot-prone timber with noxious goop doesn't work worth a damn,
compared to using somethign rot-resistant to begin with. 

Nameless builder's merchant "softwood" won't last more than a couple of
years.


-- 
 Cats have nine lives, which is why they rarely post to Usenet.

On Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:45:43 +0100, Andy Dingley
 wrote:

>On Tue, 1 Jul 2008 13:25:10 -0700 (PDT), bob.smithson@googlemail.com
>wrote:
>
>>The nearest match I can find that is easily accessible to me would be
>>softwood.  
>
>You need to find something better.
>
>Best option all round is probably some of the most resinuous larch you
>can find. Any half-decent timber merchant will have this, and it's
>cheap. This is the minimum level you should find before you're
>satisfied.
>
>My favourite, as already mentioned, would be sweet chestnut. This is a
>UK hardwood that's noted for its rot resistance - it's often used to
>make fence rails, just laid bare on the posts. NB _sweet_ chestnut, not
>horse chestnut. It's no real use for furniture, so it's pretty cheap.
>It's quite regional though, so it's easier to find around the Home
>Counties than 'oop North. You might even find it coppiced locally, which
>is best of all for sustainability.  A much under-rated timber for
>outdoor work.
>
>I don't use tropicals, unless I'm recycling. Iroko would be good,
>although new Iroko is a pig for twisting when you rip it, which might be
>a problem for thin slats.
>
>I wouldn't use oak in thin slats, even though I've tons of it as
>scrapwood.
>
>Treating rot-prone timber with noxious goop doesn't work worth a damn,
>compared to using somethign rot-resistant to begin with. 
>
>Nameless builder's merchant "softwood" won't last more than a couple of
>years.

I suppose the thing to look out for is lack of knots, which will
seriously weaken your slats.

-- 
Frank Erskine

On 3 Jul, 00:45, Andy Dingley  wrote:
> On Tue, 1 Jul 2008 13:25:10 -0700 (PDT), bob.smith...@googlemail.com
> wrote:
>
> >The nearest match I can find that is easily accessible to me would be
> >softwood.  
>
> You need to find something better.
> [snipped useful stuff]

Thanks for the helpful comments and to everyone else who replied.

I should have said at the outset that I'm no woodworker and the only
way this will get done is if I can find something that's already a
reasonable match in terms of size.

I'll try venturing to some proper timber merchants as it does sound
like a hardwood would be best.

Thanks
~~
Bob

bob.smithson@googlemail.com wrote:
> On 3 Jul, 00:45, Andy Dingley  wrote:
>> On Tue, 1 Jul 2008 13:25:10 -0700 (PDT), bob.smith...@googlemail.com
>> wrote:
>>
>>> The nearest match I can find that is easily accessible to me would be
>>> softwood.  
>> You need to find something better.
>> [snipped useful stuff]
> 
> Thanks for the helpful comments and to everyone else who replied.
> 
> I should have said at the outset that I'm no woodworker and the only
> way this will get done is if I can find something that's already a
> reasonable match in terms of size.
> 
> I'll try venturing to some proper timber merchants as it does sound
> like a hardwood would be best.
> 
> Thanks
> ~~
> Bob
> 
> 


The merchant will cut it to size for you but the basic cost of hardwood 
may be a shock. Last time I looked it was cheaper to but a new self 
assembly bench and just use the slats

On Jul 4, 9:26 am, stuart noble  wrote:
> bob.smith...@googlemail.com wrote:
> > On 3 Jul, 00:45, Andy Dingley  wrote:
> >> On Tue, 1 Jul 2008 13:25:10 -0700 (PDT), bob.smith...@googlemail.com
> >> wrote:
>
> >>> The nearest match I can find that is easily accessible to me would be
> >>> softwood.  
> >> You need to find something better.
> >> [snipped useful stuff]
>
> > Thanks for the helpful comments and to everyone else who replied.
>
> > I should have said at the outset that I'm no woodworker and the only
> > way this will get done is if I can find something that's already a
> > reasonable match in terms of size.
>
> > I'll try venturing to some proper timber merchants as it does sound
> > like a hardwood would be best.
>
> > Thanks
> > ~~
> > Bob
>
> The merchant will cut it to size for you but the basic cost of hardwood
> may be a shock. Last time I looked it was cheaper to but a new self
> assembly bench and just use the slats

yes, thats why I discounted the hardwood option. That leaves you with
either a new bench, softwood or garden wood. Leylandii are reasonably
durable, but it sounds like you wouldnt want to cut anything, so a new
bench.

Even if you buy softwood cut to length (and it can be whatever length
suits you within reason) you'll still need to drill them all. The one
good news is you can forget about countersinking the holes, just use
what are they called, bolts with shallow rounded heads.


NT

On 4 Jul, 15:55, meow2...@care2.com wrote:
> On Jul 4, 9:26 am, stuart noble  wrote:
>
>
>
> > bob.smith...@googlemail.com wrote:
> > > On 3 Jul, 00:45, Andy Dingley  wrote:
> > >> On Tue, 1 Jul 2008 13:25:10 -0700 (PDT), bob.smith...@googlemail.com
> > >> wrote:
>
> > >>> The nearest match I can find that is easily accessible to me would be
> > >>> softwood.  
> > >> You need to find something better.
> > >> [snipped useful stuff]
>
> > > Thanks for the helpful comments and to everyone else who replied.
>
> > > I should have said at the outset that I'm no woodworker and the only
> > > way this will get done is if I can find something that's already a
> > > reasonable match in terms of size.
>
> > > I'll try venturing to some propertimbermerchants as it does sound
> > > like a hardwood would be best.
>
> > > Thanks
> > > ~~
> > > Bob
>
> > The merchant will cut it to size for you but the basic cost of hardwood
> > may be a shock. Last time I looked it was cheaper to but a new self
> > assemblybenchand just use the slats
>
> yes, thats why I discounted the hardwood option. That leaves you with
> either a newbench, softwood or garden wood. Leylandii are reasonably
> durable, but it sounds like you wouldnt want to cut anything, so a newbench.
>
> Even if you buy softwood cut to length (and it can be whatever length
> suits you within reason) you'll still need to drill them all. The one
> good news is you can forget about countersinking the holes, just use
> what are they called, bolts with shallow rounded heads.

I don't mind doing a bit of drilling, sanding, cutting to length etc.,
so I'm not *completely* useless.  But neither my my skills nor my
toolkit are up to anything much more than this - e.g. having to cut
them to size along the length or doing a lot of planing etc.

~~
Bob

On Jul 5, 9:14 pm, bob.smith...@googlemail.com wrote:
> On 4 Jul, 15:55, meow2...@care2.com wrote:
> > On Jul 4, 9:26 am, stuart noble  wrote:
> > > bob.smith...@googlemail.com wrote:
> > > > On 3 Jul, 00:45, Andy Dingley  wrote:
> > > >> On Tue, 1 Jul 2008 13:25:10 -0700 (PDT), bob.smith...@googlemail.com
> > > >> wrote:

> > > >>> The nearest match I can find that is easily accessible to me would be
> > > >>> softwood.  
> > > >> You need to find something better.
> > > >> [snipped useful stuff]
>
> > > > Thanks for the helpful comments and to everyone else who replied.
>
> > > > I should have said at the outset that I'm no woodworker and the only
> > > > way this will get done is if I can find something that's already a
> > > > reasonable match in terms of size.
>
> > > > I'll try venturing to some propertimbermerchants as it does sound
> > > > like a hardwood would be best.
>
> > > > Thanks
> > > > ~~
> > > > Bob
>
> > > The merchant will cut it to size for you but the basic cost of hardwood
> > > may be a shock. Last time I looked it was cheaper to but a new self
> > > assemblybenchand just use the slats
>
> > yes, thats why I discounted the hardwood option. That leaves you with
> > either a newbench, softwood or garden wood. Leylandii are reasonably
> > durable, but it sounds like you wouldnt want to cut anything, so a newbench.
>
> > Even if you buy softwood cut to length (and it can be whatever length
> > suits you within reason) you'll still need to drill them all. The one
> > good news is you can forget about countersinking the holes, just use
> > what are they called, bolts with shallow rounded heads.
>
> I don't mind doing a bit of drilling, sanding, cutting to length etc.,
> so I'm not *completely* useless.  But neither my my skills nor my
> toolkit are up to anything much more than this - e.g. having to cut
> them to size along the length or doing a lot of planing etc.


Well, with an axe or meat cleaver maybe you could add splitting a
felled conifer to that list.


NT