# picnic tables with somwhat green wood.....bad idea?



## MidGAOutdoor (Apr 7, 2011)

have a dead standing oak in my backyard thats about 18-20 inch dbh. its been dead for a minute. question is, i wanna build a picnic table or 2 to sell in the spring from it. didnt know if it would be ok sense itll be outside use only. should i stack and sticker til about march or so or what?


----------



## Gerald (Aug 21, 2008)

What kind of oak is it? 
Red Oak will not weather well. Will turn black and ugly once it gets wet a few times. White Oak would be great for outdoor use.


----------



## MidGAOutdoor (Apr 7, 2011)

white oak i think


----------



## fromtheforty (Jan 15, 2011)

i would sticker and stack it. Standing dead, at least here in WI, still had plenty of moisture in it. I' guessing that it would be the same for you in GA with all of the humidity.

Geoff


----------



## MidGAOutdoor (Apr 7, 2011)

ok thanks. its down and not hollow the roots had rotted and the wind took it down for me. almost took the back porch out


----------



## bzguy (Jul 11, 2011)

I've made many picnic tables out of green wood.
It's going to be constantly in the weather anyway.
Green or dry, spaces between boards/planks must be left for swelling and rain drainage.


----------



## harrymontana (Dec 26, 2012)

see also another post on green wood and surrounding moisture (humidity) of the air. 
Always sticker and have the wood climitize to its surrounding. 
Then start to mold it, saw it, plane, whatever you like. This is true for ANY kind of wood, including dead trees, decking flooring etc etc etc
It must be in equilibrio with its surrouding first.


----------



## MidGAOutdoor (Apr 7, 2011)

bzguy said:


> I've made many picnic tables out of green wood.
> It's going to be constantly in the weather anyway.
> Green or dry, spaces between boards/planks must be left for swelling and rain drainage.


did they crack any?


----------



## bzguy (Jul 11, 2011)

Some minor checking, normal, nothing that would ruin it's use as an outdoor table, never seen a furniture grade pick-nick table.
If you assemble it green, it will acclimate itself pretty close to the shape you started with.
Waste of time and money IMHO to dry wood then stick it back out in the weather.
The dried wood will also swell, shrink, warp, check, once back out in the rain.
BTW, since the outside of a tree is less dense, shrinks more, boards will cup in the opposite direction of the growth rings.
Place top and seat boards with rings in up "U" orientation, then cupping will shed rain instead of forming puddles.


----------



## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

harrymontana said:


> see also another post on green wood and surrounding moisture (humidity) of the air.
> Always sticker and have the wood climitize to its surrounding.
> Then start to mold it, saw it, plane, whatever you like. This is true for ANY kind of wood, including dead trees, decking flooring etc etc etc
> It must be in equilibrio with its surrouding first.


If the tree is standing out in the weather and the picnic tables will be out in the weather is that not acclimated to the same conditions?

George


----------



## harrymontana (Dec 26, 2012)

GeorgeC said:


> If the tree is standing out in the weather and the picnic tables will be out in the weather is that not acclimated to the same conditions?
> 
> George


yes but a tree is a living organism while the boards of a picnic table is not. In the latter the pores are open and there will be an exchange in humidity between the pores of the boards and its surrounding. If there is too great difference in moisture content of the wood vs surroundings the board will start to absorp (expand) or to dry which results in cracking, twisting and bending if this process goes to fast


----------



## bzguy (Jul 11, 2011)

The guy says that the oak is dead in first post.
Since then it has fallen, that's pretty dead indeed.
When it is sawed up, any tension release will be apparent and can be dealt with by proper selection.
It's an outdoor picnic table, not a piano.


----------



## tcleve4911 (Dec 16, 2006)

bzguy said:


> The guy says that the oak is dead in first post.
> Since then it has fallen, that's pretty dead indeed.
> When it is sawed up, any tension release will be apparent and can be dealt with by proper selection.
> It's an outdoor picnic table, not a piano.


...but I bet that picnic table will weigh as much as a piano...:laughing:


----------



## MidGAOutdoor (Apr 7, 2011)

tcleve4911 said:


> ...but I bet that picnic table will weigh as much as a piano...:laughing:


your probably right there havent got them milled yet


----------



## harrymontana (Dec 26, 2012)

bzguy said:


> The guy says that the oak is dead in first post.
> Since then it has fallen, that's pretty dead indeed.
> When it is sawed up, any tension release will be apparent and can be dealt with by proper selection.
> It's an outdoor picnic table, not a piano.


the issue is not whether the tree is dead or not or its weight, the issue is wheter there is a difference between the moisture content of the wood versus its surroundings. If there is a difference, then the wood will work (expand/ shrink) and depending on the type of wood (specie) and how it is cut (quatersawn etc) and if there is any sapwood, there will be warping, twisting, cupping, cracking etc. For more on proper wood acclimating and its surrounding related to its moisture content we recomend you to read the link.


----------



## ETWW (Mar 27, 2011)

Harry has it right. Sticker the wood and let it reach EMC before building with it. In log form, it would take years for it to reach EMC throughout and in fact, due to fungal activity, it would probably rot away first.


----------



## aaronisgood (Mar 6, 2013)

I think you can put it dry in the sun, and in dry place. You can use it to make patio chairs, and then sell will earn more money.


----------



## MidGAOutdoor (Apr 7, 2011)

I gave up on the oak. I have acquired some pine that is throw away wood from a commercial sawmill. I am letting it sit for a while before I do anything with it.


----------



## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

MidGAOutdoor said:


> I gave up on the oak. I have acquired some pine that is throw away wood from a commercial sawmill. I am letting it sit for a while before I do anything with it.


Good for you. I can't think of a worse wood for a picnic table than oak. With the temperature extremes of being out in the weather the wood would likely warp and twist to where it would come apart.


----------

