Fir wood protection for outside?

[jeremy_ho]

Hi, I am getting a nice planter structure build of fir wood. Not sure what kind of fir.

I am not sure if I will put on concrete or the lawn yet, but I would like to add something to protect the wood from weather and watering. But the protectant should not contaminate the soil that is below it or the plants in the planter.

Any suggestion? I heard linseed oil would be good? Where do you get it?

[Jim]

The termites are certainly going to like you.

On pressure treated wood will last. The current products have eliminated the use of arsenic.

You buy linseed oil at a paint store. Jim

[Duane Bozarth]

Linseed oil would be a bare minimal protective coating for earth contact and would do virtually nothing after a year or less. Unless you really want the raw wood appearance, I'd suggest painting as the best weather-resistant coating.

Failing that, I'd suggest painting the interior and using a good-quality UV-inhibitor exterior varnish on the exterior.

Any common finish you use that dries will be ok wrt to the plants/ground.

[firstjois]

[snip]

A nice wood planter should be given a nice plastic liner. Check around at the local stores to find a pot or planter or plastic wastebasket that would fit inside it fairly well. Drill a few holes in the liner of your choice if it doesn't have any already. Be sure your new planter has drain holes, too.

Next a nice wood planter would have something under the feet for either concrete or on the grass. Wood of your choice would be okay since you could afford to throw away these two (three) pieces of wood at the end of every season when you'd empty the planter, wash it up, store it for the off season.

Once you have a liner and good intentions about keeping it on wood above the ground and putting it up for the winter you can paint your planter with almost anything that will hold up to weather. If you think of the planter as a house you need to paint then you have the right idea about how it should be painted.

Several spray companies have outdoor spray sealers and many good colors of outdoor paint colors.

Josie

[BobK207]

Hopefully the planter has not yet been built.

wood in contact with soil is not a good idea for longivity of the wood. neither is allowing the wood to be constantly moist.

This is a major invitation for dry rot & insects.

Good outside woods would be; teak, redwood, mahogoney(sp?)

but you best bet is a liner; copper or plastic (thick ~1/16" min)

Do right this thing will last many years, done cheap a few at best

If you put the planter right on the lawn or concrete w/o an air gap & "water resistant feet" the bottom will rot out in no time.

Wood can last for centuries, if kept dry, moist it can be gone in a few seasons.

OTOH, if you use non-toxic finishes this planter can be mulch for the next one :)

cheers Bob

[George]

Centuries if kept wet, too. At least one case where moderation isn't the optimum.

[Duane Bozarth]

Actually the window boxes I built use heavy screen for the bottoms and then set the plants in pots or such...similar would work for a planter, as well...

[jeremy_ho]

Thanks. I am going to put it on concrete instead of lawn / soil, then and then maybe use bricks to shim it up to minimize ground contact.

Can you recommend any product that is preferably clear but will seal the wood against termites and dry rot? Something like a laquer, polyurethane, stain so I could think about it some more. I do not wish to attract termintes near my home, do the sealers help protect against insects?

I might just use a plastic pot as a liner and modify the bottom material of the planter, so the wood does not need to be wet during watering.

I know fir it is not the choice of the wood for outside, rot resistance wood for the same item would cost 3 times at much I would think. I don't expect this to last forever.. just a way to prolong it's life no matter what it is made of, which is why I'm asking the question here.

Thanks