Replacement Hatch Boards and Handrails
- Thread starter bcwave
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something I've used
in the past, and I found out about it by accident, is poplar, back in 97 or 98 my mom needed some garden stakes for tomatoes and a few other plants, so she asked if I could dig some up for her, was doing a house in poplar so I ripped the drops into 3/4x3/4 inch stakes, and she used them in the garden, she was still using the same stakes when she moved last year, they aren't varnished or anything, and they're in the garden all summer long, then just leaned on the garage outside during the winter, used poplar on a couple projects, figured if they lasted that long untreated they should last quite a while varnished up on a boat, the garden stakes are showing a bit of wear on the ground ends, not realy sure if it's rot or wear, and the rest is a very pale grey, but still strong. pop can be dressed up very nicely, and looks great if you get clear white pop, the green or grey streaks in the other types sometimes look funky though, but looks good with a bit of stain.don't know if I'd use it for grab bars, as I haven't any idea about it's 'tensile' strength, hatch boards would be fine. ken.
in the past, and I found out about it by accident, is poplar, back in 97 or 98 my mom needed some garden stakes for tomatoes and a few other plants, so she asked if I could dig some up for her, was doing a house in poplar so I ripped the drops into 3/4x3/4 inch stakes, and she used them in the garden, she was still using the same stakes when she moved last year, they aren't varnished or anything, and they're in the garden all summer long, then just leaned on the garage outside during the winter, used poplar on a couple projects, figured if they lasted that long untreated they should last quite a while varnished up on a boat, the garden stakes are showing a bit of wear on the ground ends, not realy sure if it's rot or wear, and the rest is a very pale grey, but still strong. pop can be dressed up very nicely, and looks great if you get clear white pop, the green or grey streaks in the other types sometimes look funky though, but looks good with a bit of stain.don't know if I'd use it for grab bars, as I haven't any idea about it's 'tensile' strength, hatch boards would be fine. ken.
Joe McGinty. I have used a lot of black locust
I made all of my cleats from it, the jambs on my companion way are locust with a cypress companion door( not drop boards). Locust lays completely still after if is dry. It was used for many years as pins for supporting insulators on utility poles. It is very heavy, very hard, and will last in soil contact for fifty years. ( maybe longer. That's the oldest fence post that I can swear to.) It wouldn't be my first choice for companion hatch boards. If you can get northern white ceder it will be wonderful, catalpa wood is light, durable, stays in place well, as does paulownia, Western red cedar is very good and is light. Tulip poplar is not durable but lasts well as barn siding if the ends are not too close to the ground. Cypress will serve very well and doesn't care if you varnish or not. All of these woods I have used on Bietzpadlin in one place or another.
I made all of my cleats from it, the jambs on my companion way are locust with a cypress companion door( not drop boards). Locust lays completely still after if is dry. It was used for many years as pins for supporting insulators on utility poles. It is very heavy, very hard, and will last in soil contact for fifty years. ( maybe longer. That's the oldest fence post that I can swear to.) It wouldn't be my first choice for companion hatch boards. If you can get northern white ceder it will be wonderful, catalpa wood is light, durable, stays in place well, as does paulownia, Western red cedar is very good and is light. Tulip poplar is not durable but lasts well as barn siding if the ends are not too close to the ground. Cypress will serve very well and doesn't care if you varnish or not. All of these woods I have used on Bietzpadlin in one place or another.
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