There is a local “Architectural grave yard” in Sarasota, They seem to have found a huge deck built about 15-20 years ago that the owner is replacing. The Owner of the grave yard dabbles in woodworking and made a rather nice table top from this reclaimed wood that I saw finished with oil and wax. (BTW the lady is replacing the deck with BEECH! he had a 4-5 foot piece that was 4×6″) I have gathered alot of beech scraps? from the site. Anyway my question is this. I am not familiar with the wood at all anyone make exterior furniture with it? I was going to buy a pile of it and make some chairs maybe a bench or two? They have standard 1×6 and have some 1×12 from the base of the deck. But I don’t want folks coming back to complain on its longevity. Anyone use this stuff? Is it worth $3-3.50bf? Thanks for any help Rich
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The title of your post says Alaskan yellow cedar but then you talk about beech. They are quite different. The AYC is wonderful for exterior work but beech is not.
Confusion Sorry
The Question was about the AYC...
Was thinking of making some outdoor stuff with it maybe a couple of deck chairs. The wood is spotty some it it is really pretty and some not so much. It all has holes from nails and or Deck screws.
Rich
Rich, the AYC has natural decay and insect resistance. It looks a lot like ordinary spruce but is denser, closer growth rings and has a waxy feel. It doesn't check, if left unfinished, it weathers to a nice silver gray. I don't know if reclaimed AYC lumber, particularly that which has been exposed, still has as high a resistance as fresh lumber. Of course, ground contact will effect the most resistant lumber. I can't comment on how long your furniture will last but I suspect it will be fine with a little care.
Did you know Duct ( Duck ) tape was created in WW2 and could be boiled and eaten for emergency rations ?
Rich , was the old deck AYC but the new scraps were Beech , I'd use his Beech scraps before using the old worn out wood . Maybe it depends on what you intend to build .
regards , dusty
Rich, Unless that Beech has been pressure treated, it is a very bad choice for a deck. It will be rotten within a couple of years.
Clear or VG Alaskan Yellow Cedar would be an excellent choice for outdoor furniture.
Here in the Pacific Northwest, I don't think I would pay $3 a foot, though.
I've built two decks out of it, and the clear stuff, which we used for the handrails, ran slightly less that $2.50.
If you need (or want) Alaskan Yellow Cedar, for whatever reason, another note is this: this is one of those annoying species that has undergone a couple name changes to the scientific, Latin name, and unless the person you're buying from is up to date and quite knowledgeable, as well as aware of exactly what he has, I would hesitate to believe that it was actually Alaskan Yellow Cedar.
Good luck!
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