Rant: My client insisted on using cheap pine for outdoor furniture

It will rot in two seasons, mark my words.

3 comments

3 Comments

ericjackson1mo agoMost Upvoted

What if the pine is pressure treated and sealed right though? I've got a bench that's lasted five years with a thick coat of spar urethane. Maybe @amy_lopez80's cousin just got a bad batch or the finish wore off too fast.

amy_lopez801mo ago

My cousin used cheap pine for a backyard picnic table a while back. I mean, it didn't just rot, it started splintering everywhere after one season. Pine is so soft that when it gets wet and then dries out, it cracks and throws off these sharp splinters. His kid actually got a pretty bad splinter from just leaning on it. So idk, maybe it's just me but the safety thing seems worse than the rot. You're not just replacing it later, you're risking someone getting hurt way before that.

the_sam1mo ago

I always thought pine was okay if you sealed it right. After reading @amy_lopez80's post about her cousin's table, I changed my mind. Splinters hurting kids before the wood even rots is a serious downside. Cheap wood might save money at first, but medical bills from splinters aren't fun. Now I get why folks skip pine for outdoor projects. It's not just about durability, it's about not turning your backyard into a hazard zone.