glenn k
25th April 2004, 08:59 PM
I was thinking of making a sauna from pine has anyone tried this? I was going to use 6"x2" and build it log cabin style how can I protect it from the weather outside
echnidna
26th April 2004, 11:29 AM
Paint will only help to protect radiata pine but wont stop water getting in, even if you paint every board before you build it.
The only way I can think of is to get your boards custom treated with CCA at a treatment plant. Then you will need to let them dry out before you build as there will be a lot of shrinkage. You need to band the pack of timber real tight with stickers between each layer to prevent too much distortion while its drying.
If you have access to monterey cypress instead of pine you can get away with just a coat of paint.
journeyman Mick
26th April 2004, 12:03 PM
Don't think I'd want a sauna in CCA treated timber. I think the steam might extract some of the toxins out of the timber. I know a bloke locally who built a sauna out of the local cyprus. I think radiata might carry on too much with the steam and the fluctuating moistue levels.
Mick
glenn k
26th April 2004, 11:13 PM
Originally posted by echnidna
If you have access to monterey cypress instead of pine you can get away with just a coat of paint. [/B]
Bob my brother has had Monterey cypress weather boards on his house for 25 years with no paint. They have cracked a bit on the north side but the south side are fine. My house has them too but I painted mine.
with 1% shrinkage it would be great but I do not have enough and missed out on a job removing around 14 trees last week.
I'm with Mick about CCA. I was worried about stability of the pine as well, I was planning on putting tongues between the boards to stop the bow and rod in the corners to stop spring but a sauna is extreme for any wood.