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I have some plans for a nice picnic table and they say to make it out of cedar.

So I took my shopping list down to Menards tongiht. He priced it up and it was $389 dollars just for the wood!!!!!!!! (Save Big Money at Menards!)

So becasue I am not going to spend that kind of cash on a picnic table what are my more cost effective options? I thought about pressure treated and I know there is no longer arsenic in it but still people are eating off from this.

Help is Appreciated,

Wholeshoe

The new pressure treated stuff seems to be safe. In fact most of it doesn't even look like it has any treatment at all. I've been using it all spring and summer so far to build decks and lawn furniture. Of course I am sealing with Thompsons after a few weeks of aging and if that seals water out.. it should also seal what's inside...IN wouldn't you think?

Personally I wouldnt think twice about eating off from pressure treated wood but visitors might!

Maybe paint the pressure treated stuff? Can that be done? I dont know as I am new to woodworking and have made a few projects on the Shopsmith. All I know is that paying more for the wood without my goof up factor figured in than I paid for my Mark5 is out of the question.

You see I am married now and the boss wouldnt be happy for a while and I would have to sleep next to the Shopsmith. Reflecting upon that it might not be a bad thing!

Wholeshoe

You see Shopsmiths are a lot like women, if you treat them right they will do a lot of work for you and if you don't they will fight you the whole way.

wholeshoe wrote:You see Shopsmiths are a lot like women, if you treat them right they will do a lot of work for you and if you don't they will fight you the whole way.

I highly recommend treating your ShopSmith "right"! At least we can read on how to do that! With women, it is all a guessing game; the "right" way for one might knot be the "right" way for another. Heck, the "right" way for one today may knot be the "right" way for the same one tomorrow! I have been married for thirty years to the same women and we are still having fun together so I guess I have been treating her "right" , but you never know...

Getting back on track; Wholeshoe, is cedar plentiful in your area? Maybe there is another "local" choice for you. Ask the lumber yards if they can suggest an alternate wood. Personally, I wood knot use treated wood, at least knot for the table top. What about that composite stuff? My neighbor gave me an old picnic table that is painted. I am pretty sure that it is made from Douglas Fir. It is definitely KNOT cedar or any other light weight wood.

a1gutterman wrote:I highly recommend treating your ShopSmith "right"! At least we can read on how to do that! With women, it is all a guessing game]women[/B] and we are still having fun together so I guess I have been treating her "right" , but you never know...

Getting back on track; Wholeshoe, is cedar plentiful in your area? Maybe there is another "local" choice for you. Ask the lumber yards if they can suggest an alternate wood. Personally, I wood knot use treated wood, at least knot for the table top. What about that composite stuff? My neighbor gave me an old picnic table that is painted. I am pretty sure that it is made from Douglas Fir. It is definitely KNOT cedar or any other light weight wood.

Lucky you!

Bruce wrote:Lucky you!

Lucky? Assuming that is not a typo I can't even imagine keeping more than one woman happy at the same time. That would take a far better man than me.

I'll bet its a typo and I am another very fortunate fellow who has been married to the same woman for nearly 39 years. Hard work but a blast. Hey my wife isn't even complaining that over our anniversary me taking our kids to Alaska for a week while she plays grandma. You guessed it, that will cost me some dollars. It does every year. fjimp

Wholeshoe:

A $389 price tag sounds like it is for "clear" wood, at least judging by prices in my area. If so, do you really need or want that quality wood? I would think cedar deck boards and standard 2x4's would probably do the job.

Another alternative would be to use treated wood for the structural parts and cedar for the table top and bench tops. Treat both with a stain and you may be able to come close to a match in colour.

Good luck with the project.

John

Bruce wrote:Lucky you!

fjimp wrote:Lucky? Assuming that is not a typo I can't even imagine keeping more than one woman happy at the same time. That would take a far better man than me.

I'll bet its a typo and I am another very fortunate fellow who has been married to the same woman for nearly 39 years. Hard work but a blast. Hey my wife isn't even complaining that over our anniversary me taking our kids to Alaska for a week while she plays grandma. You guessed it, that will cost me some dollars. It does every year. fjimp

Definitely a typo!!! One woman for 30 years is plenty!:D

wholeshoe wrote:All

I have some plans for a nice picnic table and they say to make it out of cedar.

So I took my shopping list down to Menards tonight. He priced it up and it was $389 dollars just for the wood!!!!!!!! (Save Big Money at Menards!)

So because I am not going to spend that kind of cash on a picnic table what are my more cost effective options? I thought about pressure treated and I know there is no longer arsenic in it but still people are eating off from this.

Help is Appreciated,

Wholeshoe

To me- It sounds like you went to the wrong place to buy cedar. I Don't know where you live, but guessing somewhere in the Midwest, since you went to Menards.

Don't know what kind of cedar you are looking for - Let's mention two distinct species. One is from a tree growing throughout the Midwest, called cedar, but it is really a juniper. - Also called aromatic red cedar. Scientific name is Juniperous virginiana.

The other major type of cedar comes from a tree growing in the West. Mostly in the Northwest. It is called Western red cedar. Scientific name - Thuja plicata. It is used mainly for things like fences decks, and structural wood items that will be outdoors. This is a lightweight wood mostly grayish in color, with lighter sapwood.

My first thought was you asked for cedar at Menards and they gave you a price for the aromatic kind, when you wanted Western red cedar.

Here's a way to search out some available sources of wood species. http://www.woodfinder.com/ Just type the words Western red cedar into the "Keyword or Species" space. No need to use any other criteria. Now click on the woodfinder reading glass.

You ought to be able to get cedar lumber much less expensive than what you've found so far. Should be in the same price range as fir, pine and spruce. If you are looking at pre cut fencing materials, made from cedar, they will be very high, because of the labor involved.