People often ask what is a good outdoor wood.   Here's a photo of a park bench that was just down the street from my last home.  The original red oak rotted out soon and the city replaced it with ipe.   These were probably 15 years of full sun, rain, snow, and salt, being right next to a street.   Looks better than even teak to me.

 

Ipe oil will help that and red oak is a poor choice for outdoors...

Hardwood Deck Finish | Ipe Oil™ Hardwood Deck Oil Finish

It has held up nicely and looks good the way it is.

Sort of what they say about black locust fence posts, "They'll outlast the hole by 10 years."

 

Some of you may know or have heard of Steve Mickley.   At the time (before he got laid off and started HLM), he was the manager of a large liumber company in the town south .  He said the town maintenance guys came in to order some replacement red oak.  He said he'd be happy to and put them on an annual reorder and recommended the ipe.   Buy it once, etc.

Edited May 25, 20179 yr by kmealy

I was at a building just a half mile from that Ipe bench this morning.   They had some very nice woodwork there, inside and out.  There were several seating areas under the entryway overhang that looked great and I thought it was ipe.  As I walked out to the car, I passed some more that were out in full southern exposure sun and rain exposure.  They looked just like that ipe bench.

Thank you.  I have 2 of these to rebuild and I was wondering if I should use PT pine.  I will drop by Lowe's from the doctor's office on Tuesday and see how it prices and fits.  

I build many many pine benches. I use Helmsman exterior varnish.

 

 

4 minutes ago, Kevin Beitz said:

I build many many pine benches. I use Helmsman exterior varnish.

I love that bench!