waterproof lumber

[J R]

Is there a wood that is pretty much waterproof, naturally? Something that could be expected to hold up for several decades without rotting away?

[Steve DeMars]

Cypress & Redwood I beleive would do it . . .

[Swingman]

Cypress does a pretty good job of it ... although all wood will eventually decay.

[Australopithecus scobis]

Petrified wood. It's also fireproof.

[Enoch Root]

I believe willow was once used for the "wet" parts of a watermill.

er

[RicodJour]

My brother told me of an encounter on a motorcycle trip he'd taken. He ran across a small forest of stumps in a swampy meadow, and asked about it at the next town. He asked if there was much logging in the area and mentioned the stumps. He was told they were cypress trees that had been cut down 70 years ago! So, yeah, I guess cypress does a pretty good job with the elements. ;)

R

[Lyndell Thompson]

Knots from apple trees were the bearings for "said" watermill. Lyndell :-)

[marcaf]

Locust will not rot

[AAvK]

Beside others mentioned, Ipe ´[also called] Pao Lope decking, and teak. If you get into sawing the Ipe´ be prepared that the wood is full of silicates (rock sand) that grows into the trees as the tree drinks through it's roots. This wears down carbide quicker than woods without it. You would use Harbour Freight carbide saw blades. The teak is simply far more expensive.

[Phisherman]

Wood has been recovered from rivers, spending several decades under water. But for outdoor furniture, you can select cedar, redwood, white oak, teak, and cypress. Without regular applications of some finish, expect these woods to last 15 years or so.

[George]

Durability? Yep, just depends on if you want "natural" bacteria/fungicide or man-made pressure-treated.

No wood is waterproof. Its job was to carry water, after all.

[dadiOH]

Well, lignum vitae is frequently stored in tanks of water. It has numerous uses including the propeller shaft bearings on ships. Very heavy (heaviest) and generally sold by the pound.

I also recall reading sometime ago about some greenheart pilings that had been removed from the Thames River...said they were still good after

300 years of immersion.

-- dadiOH ____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06... ...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that. Get it at

[John Flatley]

Teak

[LQQK]

The distinction that must be made is this:

Wood timbers, in this case pilings will last virtually forever "immersed" in "fresh" water (salt water contains marine borers and other creatures that love wood).

One wing of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris was built on wood pilings in a peat bog and therefore the piles were saturated for the

1000 years until the structure was to be re-built. The pilings were re-used.

Any wood *partially saturated* - alternately wet and dry - will rot. Some fast, some slowly.

Me P.E.

***

[bob]

Azobe is 160% densers than red oak and supposedly almost immune to rot. Used for railroad ties and bridge tressles. I'll make you a great deal on some - $1.00 a board foot. Located in Alabama.

Bob

[lwasserm]

It would depend on your application and environment. A cedar shingle roof can last a few decades in some areas. A log completely submerged in fresh water can yield usable lumber after several decades. We have a ship here in Baltimore, the Constellation, that was built before the Civil War. I understand it still has "some" of the original timbers in her.

[Dzine]

Well here in the UK elm was the wood of choice for underground water pipes, 10" baulks 10' long drilled with a manual auger. Also used as dish drainers and baths.

[l.vanderloo]

Seems like wine and whisky barrels last for a long time, made from white oak. Have fun and take care Leo Van Der Loo

[B A R R Y]

We've got a few of those here in Mystic, as well.

Amazing!

[George]

Here (USA) too. Not sure why the Roman ceramic fad went out of style, though I suppose those with acid water will not regret us discarding lead piping....