Cypress

Re: Cypress

Yonak

Bob, I'm wondering how would you get these large boards from Florida to Alaska ?

Re: Cypress

Dick Coers

Old warehouse from the early 60s? Most places an old warehouse is late 1800s, early 1900s. Not Florida I guess. Anyway, flat sawn cypress can have a broad grain similar to pine or fir, but a beautiful honey color. Rift or quarter sawn can be used for modern styles of furniture. What I have worked is soft, and you have to be careful power sanding with that bold grain pattern, to keep a flat surface since the late grain is softer than the early grain.

Re: Cypress

Bobinak

It would be tough to transport, but I've bought a place here in Fl with an attached 2 car garage that I'm turning into my shop. In the winter I'll be here and return to Alaska for the summers.

Re: Cypress

Barry Irby

Cypress has excellent rot resistance. I would think it would make wonderful exterior furniture. You know, for the lanai or pool enclosure.

Re: Cypress

Ron Pemberton

I used Cypress for Andriock (spelling?) furniture for our patio several years ago. They are still in good shape.

Re: Cypress

fred in ct

Adirondack

Cypress-pretty and nice to work

Maybe, or maybe not

Keith Newton

He only says from the 60s. If it was from 1860 while there was still virgin forest being sawn, I’d be all over it if the price was right.

However I don’t think it would likely be old growth cypress if from the 1960s so boards that wide would be from second growth and very likely to be mostly sapwood which would rot very quickly unless the finish was well maintained if it saw any exposure to weather.

Re: Cypress

AZ in Colorado Springs

The beams could be used to build a work bench. I made my roubo style bench using fir which I similarly got a great deal on.

Cypess - rot/decay resistance?

Henry (Raleigh NC)

Keith:

Are you saying that unless it is old growth Cypress the decay resistance is low for this species?

I was just about to pick up some Cypress for an outdoor bench project.

I thought Ipe, white oak, cypress, teak(?) osage orange(?) and black locust(?) were the short list of woods chosen for outdoor projects. Not an exhaustive list, just the ones I can think of that (I believe) have been recommended for outdoor use.

Henry

Re: Cypess - rot/decay resistance?

Don Stephan

My understanding of "rot resistance" (from Understanding Wood, Bruce Hoadley's excellent book) is a result of compounds (called extractives) some trees make and store in inner rings of wood, part of the process of converting sapwood to heartwood. Without the extractives, the wood has little or no rot resistance. Black walnut has this rot resistance, and it is easy to distinguish its heartwood from sapwood because of the color change (also a result of black walnut extractives). While I've worked with cypress (it turns very well) I can't recall if there is a noticeable color difference between its heartwood and sapwood.

Not necessarily true

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

I sided my house with Cyprus in 1971. Local yard had 1 x 12 x 12 to 16' lumber. Cut-offs that got tossed into the garden with mulch lasted 20 years without disappearing. We resided house before moving and I kept the Cyprus lumber. I have built deer stands from some and it is good as new years later. Growth rings are so fine on some lumber that they are hard to count.

Re: Cypress

Buckaroo

Us old red necks don't even consider building a boat(paddle,outboard) with anything except CYPRESS!! Rain water stands init for weeks, no problem, dip it out, pour in gas crank up and go set out some hooks.

Re: Cypress-pretty and nice to work

Wood3rz

Nice one

Re: Cypress

Clint Searl

These nightstands are made from contemporary plantation cypress. It's friendly wood that's easy to work, and even flat-sawn takes a crisp edge. Twenty five years ago, I re-faced our old kitchen cabinets in sinker cypress from FL. It was both quarter/rift and flat sawn with much tighter grain and more honey colored.

Re: Cypress

Howie

Cypress is one of the weather resistant woods. It silvers if left unfinished.

really nice design

Re: Cypess - rot/decay resistance?

john in lutz

Here in Florida we make privacy fences from green cypress. There are generally made from 1X4X1/2 boards. With no treatment they turn silver and last 20 years. Worst problem is a twisting as they dry.

I would feel very comfortable making outdoor furniture out of any dried cypress.

Thanks. Copy of a Heywood-Wakefield design

Thanks - Re: Cypess - rot/decay resistance?