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  1. #1
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    Default Alternative to Western red Cedar

    has anyone made a hot water tub using timber other than Western Red Cedar?

    I am planning to make a hot water tub but the WR Cedar is very pricey over here, looking at $3600 NZD + gst per m3

    I have easy access to larch and redwood.

    Cheers
    SCM L'Invincibile si X, SCM L'Invincibile S7, SCM TI 145EP, SCM Sandya Win 630, Masterwood OMB1V, Meber 600, Delta RJ42, Nederman S750, Chicago Pneumatics CPRS10500, Ceccato CDX12



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  3. #2
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    When you say “redwood” do you mean Californian Redwood? It’s quite similar. Western red cedar and Oregon prices have skyrocketed because most of those huge wildfires in the USA have destroyed the plantations of those timbers. We can’t get much over here either

  4. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by riverbuilder View Post
    When you say “redwood” do you mean Californian Redwood? It’s quite similar. Western red cedar and Oregon prices have skyrocketed because most of those huge wildfires in the USA have destroyed the plantations of those timbers. We can’t get much over here either
    Thanks I have been reading up the the Redwood it seems to be similar to WRC in terms of property. less than half price of Cedar over here.
    SCM L'Invincibile si X, SCM L'Invincibile S7, SCM TI 145EP, SCM Sandya Win 630, Masterwood OMB1V, Meber 600, Delta RJ42, Nederman S750, Chicago Pneumatics CPRS10500, Ceccato CDX12



  5. #4
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    What about Alaskan Yellow Cedar? Bunnings did sell it about 15 years ago. I think its gone more specialty suppliers now.
    Experienced in removing the tree from the furniture

  6. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Albert View Post
    has anyone made a hot water tub using timber other than Western Red Cedar?

    I am planning to make a hot water tub but the WR Cedar is very pricey over here, looking at $3600 NZD + gst per m3

    I have easy access to larch and redwood.
    Quote Originally Posted by Albert View Post
    Thanks I have been reading up the the Redwood it seems to be similar to WRC in terms of property. less than half price of Cedar over here.
    Redwood sourced in NZ is possibly locally grown planation timber. Ditto for larch.

    I believe one of the benefits of using WRC is it's antimould and antifungal properties. And if kept wet WRC retains most of its colour.
    I'm not sure that Larch (locally grown or imported) has similar properties and locally (to NZ) grown Redwood may also be lacking in the key antifungal antimould extractives.

    The risk you are trying to manage is that whatever wood you end up using discolours on account of mould or bacteria.


    Sorry, I can't be more helpful
    regards from Alberta, Canada

    ian

  7. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by ian View Post
    Redwood sourced in NZ is possibly locally grown planation timber. Ditto for larch.

    I believe one of the benefits of using WRC is it's antimould and antifungal properties. And if kept wet WRC retains most of its colour.
    I'm not sure that Larch (locally grown or imported) has similar properties and locally (to NZ) grown Redwood may also be lacking in the key antifungal antimould extractives.

    The risk you are trying to manage is that whatever wood you end up using discolours on account of mould or bacteria.


    Sorry, I can't be more helpful
    Thanks Ian, I may just have to bite the bullet and buy them from the merchant... the most expensive timber ever bought..
    SCM L'Invincibile si X, SCM L'Invincibile S7, SCM TI 145EP, SCM Sandya Win 630, Masterwood OMB1V, Meber 600, Delta RJ42, Nederman S750, Chicago Pneumatics CPRS10500, Ceccato CDX12



  8. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Albert View Post
    has anyone made a hot water tub using timber other than Western Red Cedar?

    I am planning to make a hot water tub but the WR Cedar is very pricey over here, looking at $3600 NZD + gst per m3

    .....

    Until about 60 years ago, In Tasmania laundry troughs and scullery bench tops were traditionally made from Huon pine (Lagarostrobos franklinii) and occasionally (rarely) from King Billy pine (Athrotaxis selaginoides). Huon is now sometimes used to fashion very expensive hot tubs and baths. It costs a lot more than your WRC!

    I know absolutely nothing about the NZ timber market, but I presume that a hot tub would require quite high quality timber - what I know as "boat building grade"- a higher grading than "select". I quickly googled Bunnings NZ and the highest grade timber that I could find was "clear" grade radiata 90x42mm at NZ$18.50 per linear metre. This is $4,894 per cube, including GST.
    Hume Pinetrim 90 x 42mm x 1m Untreated Clear Pine D4S | Bunnings Warehouse

    The WRC was $3,600 net, or $4,140 including 15% GST.

    Providing the quality is acceptable, that WRC may not be all that expensive.

  9. #8
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    Do you have any Hemlock over there? It’s quite similar to Western Red cedar. Spruce would be good too but the price would be up there with WRC as it comes from the same place.

  10. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by ian View Post
    The risk you are trying to manage is that whatever wood you end up using discolours on account of mould or bacteria.
    Quote Originally Posted by Albert View Post
    Thanks Ian, I may just have to bite the bullet and buy them from the merchant... the most expensive timber ever bought..
    Albert
    If you haven't already purchased the WRC from your wholesaler, check the antibacteria, antimould properties of the different wood species you have local access to.

    I've a vague memory that WRC (Thuja plicata) replaced Californian Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) for hot tub construction when Californian Redwood became commercially scarce. New Zealand plantation grown Sequoia sempervirens may be suitable for the hot tub.
    I could b wrong, but the cost differential would be worth at least an hour of your time to research the issue.
    regards from Alberta, Canada

    ian

  11. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by GraemeCook View Post
    Until about 60 years ago, In Tasmania laundry troughs and scullery bench tops were traditionally made from Huon pine (Lagarostrobos franklinii) and occasionally (rarely) from King Billy pine (Athrotaxis selaginoides). Huon is now sometimes used to fashion very expensive hot tubs and baths. It costs a lot more than your WRC!

    I know absolutely nothing about the NZ timber market, but I presume that a hot tub would require quite high quality timber - what I know as "boat building grade"- a higher grading than "select". I quickly googled Bunnings NZ and the highest grade timber that I could find was "clear" grade radiata 90x42mm at NZ$18.50 per linear metre. This is $4,894 per cube, including GST.
    Hume Pinetrim 90 x 42mm x 1m Untreated Clear Pine D4S | Bunnings Warehouse

    The WRC was $3,600 net, or $4,140 including 15% GST.

    Providing the quality is acceptable, that WRC may not be all that expensive.
    Timber from Bunnings are super expensive, everytime I go to Bunnings I feel bad seeing those customers buying 1-2 pieces of pine paying that kind of money... in the past I have been buying a bolt and nut set from Bunnings for $1, I recently found out I can get them in bulks from the supplier for $0.08.
    SCM L'Invincibile si X, SCM L'Invincibile S7, SCM TI 145EP, SCM Sandya Win 630, Masterwood OMB1V, Meber 600, Delta RJ42, Nederman S750, Chicago Pneumatics CPRS10500, Ceccato CDX12



  12. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by ian View Post
    Albert
    If you haven't already purchased the WRC from your wholesaler, check the antibacteria, antimould properties of the different wood species you have local access to.

    I've a vague memory that WRC (Thuja plicata) replaced Californian Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) for hot tub construction when Californian Redwood became commercially scarce. New Zealand plantation grown Sequoia sempervirens may be suitable for the hot tub.
    I could b wrong, but the cost differential would be worth at least an hour of your time to research the issue.
    Thanks Ian, I have been doing that, not a lot of info about locally grown timber and how antifungal/antigbacterial they are. but a lot of info about oversea timber...
    SCM L'Invincibile si X, SCM L'Invincibile S7, SCM TI 145EP, SCM Sandya Win 630, Masterwood OMB1V, Meber 600, Delta RJ42, Nederman S750, Chicago Pneumatics CPRS10500, Ceccato CDX12



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