Thread: What Timber to use for Outdoor Louvres

Both western red cedar and paulownia are used extensively for window and door frames. They are easy to work with and can be purchased as shaped blades if necessary. I only have paulownia so if you need some more information visit www.paulownia-timber-sales.com.au

Western Red Cedar leaches a dark stain. Cypress is clean well so is radiata but it rots.

Do some tests with paulownia. I am a recent convert. It's amazing stuff.
Cheers
steve

Red Mahogany - E' resinifera, No stain & durability 1 out of the ground
I can supply, PM if interested
Regards inter

Dingo, whatever timber you use, most will give off tannin stains, that's just part of being Euc's. One way to try and minimise if not stop it all together is to stick it on the lawn and 'rain' on it with a soaker hose/sprinkler for a couple of hours. Yeah I know water restrictions are a bit tough for this, but even creek water would do - although at the moment down there, even creek water would probably be used for much better things.

I know a lot of the merbau/balau furniture used to come with recommendations to 'rain' on it before use to help try and draw out the tannin

Paint the timber you use all over.

Originally Posted by echnidna

Paint the timber you use all over.

If you choose to do this, make sure you use an oil based primer and give it two coats of primer. Any other primer will not stop it leaching and I do two coats as I hate painting, so I don't want to go back to something after I find the primer was a bit thin, the timber bled and now I have to do primer and 3-4 coats of top coat to cover up the new primer

I raised the use of Paulownia as an option. The Paulownia moulding I buy from a wholesaler has been specially treated in a large tank with a 'secret' wash, as advised by the Chinise, to remove the tannin. It is then kiln dried to 11% to stabilise it.

Is paulownia a durable timber?

CHeers
Michael

I'd go for teak or jarrah.
Oil the teak with tung oil, 2 pack poly marine varnish for the jarrah.

Originally Posted by mic-d

Is paulownia a durable timber?

CHeers
Michael

I have 3 pages of information about Paulownia and its properties that I down loaded from a web site. Unfortunately I lack the skills to transpose the relevant portions to this reply. Basically if it is half as good as this articles states then it is well and truly a durable timber.

Having said this it has its limitations as it is not a structural timber and too soft, in its own right, to be used as bench tops etc.

It is recognised by the timber windows & door manfacturers as a viable alternative to western red cedar.

John