Oak or softwood for bench

[jlee]

I'm going to build a picnic bench using sleepers. Any adivce on using softwood tanalised as apposed to Oak?

[Turn7]

Softwood is likely to be stable than oak. Tanalised left untreated will go silver.
Oak tends to just go black and move around.

You could prbably buid two in softwood for what the oak will cost.

[roofer]

Tanalized is also poisonous last time I looked.

[FlipFlopGriff]

Turn7 said:

Softwood is likely to be stable than oak. Tanalised left untreated will go silver.
Oak tends to just go black and move around.

You could prbably buid two in softwood for what the oak will cost.

How does oak move around? If it did many historic properties would have fell down some time ago!!!!!!!!!
I've got some oak slats for my bench refurb and hope it just ages (silvers) nicely. I live in a 400 year old house with oak window frames which are silver and havent done bad considering their age.
FFG

[loughran]

Tell me more about this oak that moves around.

[jlee]

Oak is £25.50 and Softwood £12 (2.4m x 200mm x 100mm)

I'm thinking which would look the nicest, I dont want it to look cheap.

[timberman]

oak will be fine,
just consider how you intend to fix it together as oak will attack screws etc hence the black bits, so stainless steel fixings are recommended.
all wood left outside will dry on the surface and lose its colour so if you want to keep that you will need to oil it from time to time

oak isn't the best outdoor wood, things like teak (expensive) or Iroko would be better and could probably be sourced in the sizes you require if you want an alternative

[Super Slo Mo]

It will be very heavy that's for sure. Even with softwood I don't think you will be able to move it on your own.
Much as I applaud the idea of massively over engineered wood projects, is this a tad overkill?

[jlee]

Im looking for something like this. I think it looks amazing.

[jlee]

Good DIY guide here

http://vkvasov.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/diy-project-...

[Super Slo Mo]

240kg!

Looks good though. Not going to show the wife, she will want one building

[loughran]

That must be one of the ugliest tables ever constructed.

[Murph7355]

loughran said:

That must be one of the ugliest tables ever constructed.

At least in the last 40,000 years

As for oak, wtf were the Tudors thinking about using it for buildings. I have a lot of oak in mine and none is black or moving materially (cue side of house falling off ). Just be careful how you fix it together and how you look after it (as with all wood) if you want it to last.

[FlipFlopGriff]

Got my slats from these but fairly local so collected them. They do the 1.22m lengths too.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hardwood-Bench-Slats-Bat...
FFG