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end grain cedar

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  • 20-06-2011 5:58pm
    #1
    ArchitectDublin
    Registered Users Posts: 19 ✭


    Has anyone any experience of exposing the endgrain of cedar and making a parquet surface for furniture/flooring

    As cedar is a very soft wood typically unsuitable for furniture I thought that exposing its hard endgrain might be a way of using it for a internal bench?


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    #2
    slowburner
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,219 Mod ✭✭✭✭slowburner


    I am not so sure that the end grain is much harder.
    There would definitely be a problem with getting the end grain up to a good finish because sanding removes the early wood (the softer rings) more rapidly than the late wood (the harder rings) - the end result is that the hard rings stand proud, like severely weathered wood.
    There might be two possible ways around the problem. One would be to select very slow grown cedar with very tight growth rings. The other might be to treat the wood with PEG (polyethelene glycol, I think) - this is not something I have any experience with but I'm sure Mr.Google would help.


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    #3
    ArchitectDublin
    Registered Users Posts: 19 ✭ArchitectDublin


    thanks slowburner - yes we know a little bit about the annual rings/early wood issue. we purposely wired brushed out the early wood on these cast concrete steps for greater effect of the grain


    i'll go looking for some slow growth cedar now and get some samples made up using the PEG.

    ta


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    #4
    deandean
    Registered Users Posts: 2,229 ✭✭✭deandean


    I've used good quality cedar for a few projects, I recall it is soft - you can often press your fingernail into it. Also I recall it expands/contracts a lot with temperature & humidity, which may be a problem in your proposed use.

    It would prob ob OK for light duty use (e.g. indoor domestic). Abbey Woods in Baldoyle Industrial Estate have loads if you need a source.

    Best of luck - novel idea! i just wonder would it look a bit plain though - the wood is quite uniform - but maybe that's the look you are after.

    You could also consider Alder which prob looks similar end-grain wise & is harder (and cheaper).


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    #5
    slowburner
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,219 Mod ✭✭✭✭slowburner


    ArchitectDublin wrote: »
    thanks slowburner - yes we know a little bit about the annual rings/early wood issue. we purposely wired brushed out the early wood on these cast concrete steps for greater effect of the grain


    i'll go looking for some slow growth cedar now and get some samples made up using the PEG.

    ta
    Let us know how you get on.
    Quick question: (before you spend money on the PEG samples, hopefully) why deal with all the associated problems of using cedar for a butcher's block style construction - would it not make sense to use a hardwood :confused:


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