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Timbers from Cottonwood?

Started by Mark M, June 09, 2004, 12:39:09 PM

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Mark M

Anyone work with cottonwood timbers? I have access to a bunch of nice cottonwood logs and was thinking about sawing some 6x8 timbers. I will be cutting dovetails on the end and stacking them up like Lincoln logs. The building would be 12x12, nothing too fancy.


james

Mark , iv worked with cottonwood before , bigest problem is keeping it dry it will soak up any water that it even sees and rots quick if allowed to get wet , but if kept from contact eith the ground or spaced off a cement foundation(some kind of waterproof barrier) with a good overhang on the eves to keep the walls dry should last well :)

Buzz-sawyer

Hey Mark
I think I know what your doin...........livin out a boyhood fantasy of buildin your own log cabin.... :) :) ;)
Sounds fun. so to be authentic to your area you HAVE to use cotton! Thats almost all that there is there.!!
IF you want it to last a life time one reiteration from previous post...DRY DRY DRY on bit of wetness and your lost.
That said many log cabins are still standing....one suggestion, use thomsons water seal generously two times a year on it it will last and be a dream come true..(FOR ME)
LOL
    HEAR THAT BLADE SING!

beenthere

Buzz-Sawyer
Hopefully you won't mind a suggestion to not use Thompson's water seal (designed to seal concrete block, not wood), and instead to use the Thompson's wood protector (or it's equivalent). T's water seal doesn't have a mildewcide in it to keep the wood protected from mold, etc. Apologize for correcting this, but feel the readers could be led off track.
The best wood treatment was back in the days when we could use Penta. Unfortunately the 'enviro's' caused enough panic (all hype IMO) to get it taken off the market.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Jim_Rogers

Beenthere:
I'm not familiar with either of these product put out by Thompson's, but if the wood protector says on the label "apply to dry wood" it certainly won't work with timbers, as they take years to dry.
I'll have to look at a can and see what it does say.
Jim Rogers
Whatever you do, have fun doing it!
Woodmizer 1994 LT30HDG24 with 6' Bed Extension

Buzz-sawyer

any generic water sealer will do...it can be applied to canvas, clothing, metal, wood , vinyle......all it really does for water protection is create surface tension that causes water to shed rather thn penetrate....bleach has been used mixed with paint in years back.....to prevent mildew....dont mind the suggestion at all beeenthere, I know a few bits of info.....it seems my whole life I have been interested in learning all I can....and I finally figured out I dont know anything!
    HEAR THAT BLADE SING!

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