Best way to repair outdoor furniture

[leenowell]

Hi All,

I have a swinging bench and over time the joints have come a little loose. I have now taken it apart (several joints were mortise and tenon so had to cut the tenon) and was wondering what the best method is to put it back to gether so the joints are nice and tight. I was thinking of those barrel ty pe fittings where you drill a hole in one piece of timber to put the barrel in and then a bolt through the other timber to then bolt into the inserted barrel if you see what I mean - sorry don't know what they are called. I could use screws but worried they will loosen over time.

Any ideas?

thanks

Lee.

[The Natural Philosopher]

holes, dowels and a waterproof glue

[newshound]

Agreed, I would not be keen on the "Ikea" assembly gadgets because wood outdoors gradually goes "soggy".

Although the purists don't seem to rate it, I am quite keen on Gorilla Glue for stuff like this, the foaming makes it a good gap filler and although it is not a final solution for rot, it is a quick and easy way to buy time. I have some fencing and removable dog barriers made using tanalised timber with diagonal braces and mortises screwed and glued, and they have stood up well for ten years or so.

[tabbypurr]

Polyurethane glue foams slightly, but the foamed glue has very little stren gth. It's waterproof if it dries out fully regularly, but keep it wet for a month and it's ust a soggy gloop, so again it's not the best option for a closed joint. Many have found it adequate, but not all.

NT

[Bob Eager]

I have personally used Cascamite.

[newshound]

That's the gold standard, almost certainly what you need for "nice" stuff.

I don't do any serious outdoor carpentry so I don't keep it in stock. I can only say that GG worked well for me even in closed joints outdoors. But, as I said, this is in rough sawn treated "fence" type timber.

[tabbypurr]

It often works. But sometimes it fails. That's the problem.

NT

[leenowell]

Thanks all for your replies.

If I go for the dowel/ glue and screw option, what would you do about the m ortise and tenon joints? When I cut the tenon out, because of? the gaps between the timbers the tenon is now a short stump. What would you do with these? Thinking of it myself I can think of 2 options

1. Cut the tenon off completely, fill the mortise with another piece of woo d glued in and then treat it like 2 flat surfaces and glue, screen dowel
2. Cut the tenon off and chisel out another mortise (so essentially I have

2 mortises to connect together ) then create a piece of timber to connect t he 2 together (a bit like a giant biscuit joint)

2 is obviously a lot more work but if I end up with a stronger joint I don' t mind so much.

What do you think?

Thanks

Lee.

[Brian Gaff]

I'd have thought sawing off a mortise was making things worse than they need be. It sounds to me like the wood itself might be the issue. Brian

[leenowell]

If I keep it as is I was thinking whether gripfill in the joint would be a good idea to fill in the gaps?

[leenowell]

Thanks newshound. I have done a bit more research on the product you suggested and there are mixed views in its ability as a gap filler. Also whilst this one seems to be more explicit the one you mentioned seems to say it is a filler too.

Anyone had experience of this one or know what the real difference is?

Thanks

Lee.