# how to seal green douglas fir?



## cporro (Jun 24, 2010)

after a somewhat exhaustive search for well designed monitor speaker stands (i have a project mixing studio) i have decided to build my own. see attached images.

all of the posts are 6x6 green Douglas fir. what i would like to do is sand it a bit so it looks better then just lumber. then seal it with something clear. i want to maintain the moisture and weight (prefer not to dry it out). weight is good when it comes to speaker stands. i also want to prevent cracking/checking. i want to maintain the natural wood look and possible improve the look a bit...but not really stain it. oh and any idea about how to deal with a few sappy areas in wood?

so, is this doable? do i need to move fast? the wood is in my studio where the relative humidity is around 50% and the temp is around 70 F. what product should i use? the amount of wood i need to cover is about 12' of 5x5 total. no much.

thx.


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## stevem2 (Jun 13, 2010)

FWIW
Shelac comes to mind to meet your sealing needs. Different colors (tones) are available and if you want to later finish with something else it's a good base. Another thought would be a poly based clear deck "stain." I've used Cabot brand with pretty good results on my front porch (CVG Fir). It has the added advantage of UV blocker so the sun won't darken the wood.

The sappy issue or more likely pitch, is another problem. Comes right through shelac and deck stain. Commercially they "set the pitch" in a kiln. Heat drives off the vapors and the pitch then crystalizes. The pitch will again run if the temperature of the wood exceedes the temperature it was set at. 

If you have pith in the 6 x 6's they will crack as they dry. Sorry that's the way it is. You might want to rip a saw line from edge to center in the underside to "control" the spliting. 

The quality of the wood to start with is going to make a world of difference in what they look like long term. I use D.fir for furniture but the ring count is 15+ per inch. Almost behaves like a hardwood. I refrain from using commodity fir for such but I own the sawmill.


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## cporro (Jun 24, 2010)

thx stevem2. better wood would be a good idea. but for my skill level i didn't want to ruin a nice peice of wood. 

this wood i assume is not great stuff. home depot. which my contractor said would be the poorest quality in the area. but they were the only ones who could cut it in one pass. i needed a clean cut for the t joints. seriously who has a 20" saw at home? mine is 10".

it sounds like you are saying i could sand it now wet as it is. then hit with shelac to seal in the moisture. i don't need UV protection. if my studio monitor speakers are ever outside chances are i'm probably dead. my main concern is keeping the wood heavy, protecting it from cracking and getting a somewhat finished surface.

but then again i don't know if this matches with reality.


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## robertd (Jan 28, 2010)

Personally I see trouble ahead with anything built with greem wood. While far from an expert I think that no matter how well you seal it the wood is going to try to find some balance by releasing moisture and try to reach equalibrium with the room air. I think that you will regret it down the road. It will split and warp. Just my opinion though. That is why anytime you buy wood for a project it is best to let it sit and adjust to the moisture of you shop for a few days before using it.

Bob D


Bob D


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## Julian the woodnut (Nov 5, 2008)

The lumber you are using will have sap leak out of it for a long time since it wasn't properly heat set in a kiln. It will also check fairly severly since it is green. There is no way to seal in the moisture. This has been the bane of woodworking for eons. To stabilize the lumber you must dry it somehow, either by air or kiln.


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## Ghidrah (Mar 2, 2010)

Ever see paint blistered on ext. trim with Latex paint? If the ext. is sealed with a high moisture content in the material you may see blistering. When the wood heats up during the summer and or in the sun the moisture expands pressurizing the int. Latex paint can stretch big time.

If the item is going to be under cover at all times, (inside) let it sit for 6 mos to a yr before you paint/stain/poly it. 6X6 SVG Fir has few to -0- knots and when it does they're small, doesn't roll much if at all in short lengths and finishes up nice. I've made a couple water bed frames out of it over the yrs., they looked nice then and still do.

The only issue I have with it is its brittle nature, you have to be careful when routing it tends to splinter.


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## cporro (Jun 24, 2010)

k, what i got. don't seal it for some time. until it's dry. can do.

but i was going to assemble it... and the plan is to use timberlock heavy duty wood screws. 4 10" screws at each T-joint. any objections?


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## Ghidrah (Mar 2, 2010)

None I can see, you'll be using butt joint connections, the stock can still breath the covered surface area is small. You might consider placing a section of wax paper between the butt surfaces to prevent any possible sap drain from gluing the 2 sections together over the yr. It might cause separation damage splintering on the post. 

To facilitate any possible future disassembly, (paint, stain, repairs or customizing), use a hex head lag/screw and washer. I'd also suggest a pre drilled through hole in the base to be bored out to a 1/32 to 1/16 "GREATER" than the major diam. of the lag/screw. Bore the post to 1/32 to a 1/16 "LESS" than the minor diam. of the lag/screw then wax or soap up the threads before insertion into the post

You can also add weight to the underside of the base with metal. I'd go with a lag and think you can get away with recessing it say 3" into the base ending up with a 6 or 7" lag. 4"into the post with a lag would be more than enough fastening strength


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## stevem2 (Jun 13, 2010)

cporro said:


> k, what i got. don't seal it for some time. until it's dry. can do.
> 
> but i was going to assemble it... and the plan is to use timberlock heavy duty wood screws. 4 10" screws at each T-joint. any objections?


At the very least seal the ends with something.


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## tonyosis7 (Jul 9, 2014)

*green speaker posts*

Truly, there is no 100% successful way of totally sealing in the moisture of green wood . . . as the other poster stated, nature finds a way. Rather than battling and wasting your time, why not get something nice, kiln dried or whatever, and then install weights. I have seen some folks bore out a 2 inch hole and fill it with liquid lead. Or, you could run down to the steel supplier and pick up some 2" steel rods cut to size to insert. You'll never see it. Another alternative is fabricating your speaker stands out of heavy, thick-walled steel, and then encasing the structure with the wood of your choice. This would require some slightly advanced woodworking skill, but is doable, custom, heavy, and exceptionally sturdy. If you are tight with $$$, then I would opt for the first option with installing weights. Many steel fabricators and suppliers will have a scrap pile or short pieces that they will either give you, or sell you for cheap. If you cannot find any 2" augers, you can go with something smaller, and just drill multiple holes. Obviously, you'll need to have a loooooooooong auger/wood bit, which some tool shops will have, or you can call your local rental store. good luck!


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