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  1. 13th November 2021, 10:01 PM #1
    chauhanmahesh
    chauhanmahesh is offline New Members
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    Default Complete beginner, need help for wood choice for outdoor furniture

    Hi guys,


    I am a complete beginner in woodworking and would like to make an outdoor chair for my balcony. I found a tutorial of an outdoor sofa on youtube which seems simple enough and a good plan to start. However, instead of making it a sofa, I wanna change the plan accordingly to make a chair instead as I don't wanna take a risk with a big thing like the sofa as I am just starting.
    This is the tutorial which I mentioned DIY Outdoor Couch Built From 2x4s | Restoration Hardware Knockoff - YouTube, as you can see that project is made out of only 2X4 and I guess the closest dimension which we can get here in Australia is 90X45. I have a few questions regarding this:
    1. What is the appropriate timber to use in this project. As I mentioned I wanna make a chair for my balcony which means it will get some rain and sun so I want it to handle that.
    2. I went to bunnings and saw pine in this dimension 90X45 but the edges of that timber were not rounded. I want a timber that has some rounded edges (As shown in the video) and also to make sure they are smooth and doesn't cause an injury. Currently the only tools which I have is circular saw and drill.
    3. Is bunnings is the right choice to get timber like this or a timber shop is a better choice? I am in western Sydney so any recommendation is appreciated.


    And sorry for any dumb questions.
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  3. 13th November 2021, 11:43 PM #2
    Skew ChiDAMN!!'s Avatar
    Skew ChiDAMN!!
    Skew ChiDAMN!! is offline Dances with splinters
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    Default

    Given your proposed usage, I'd go for a timber like Merbau. It's one of the staples for use in decking as it weathers well with minimal maintenance. (A yearly clean & oil.)

    Should be available in Bunnies in 90x45, although they may only stock laminated lengths nowadays. That shouldn't be a concern unless you dislike it for aesthetic reasons.

    A dedicated timber store would be my preference as Bunnings and most other generic HW stores aren't known for quality stock but so long as you pick your pieces personally, paying careful attention re straightness and splits then you shouldn't be disappointed. (Do NOT just place an order to be delivered. That's a good way to guarantee disappointment.)

    Also, I wouldn't be overly concerned if the edges are squared. That means you can get good, tight joints without little gaps where water can enter & sit for extended periods, causing rot. It really only takes just a few minutes with a file, a scraper or a sanding block to remove the arrises, rounding the edges enough for safety.

    It'd be easier to dry fit the frame together first, so you only round the edges that you want rounded over and not mistakenly do a section best kept square.
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  4. 17th November 2021, 02:48 PM #3
    chauhanmahesh
    chauhanmahesh is offline New Members
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    Default

    Thank you so much for the response.
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