Originally Posted by
Richard Coers
I'm surprised you suggested boiled linseed oil for outdoor use. I understood that since it is an organic oil, it is very susceptible to many types of mold and fungi. I've seen some outdoor projects that are black from it.
If any untreated wood is placed on the ground, it will rot and attract termites and carpenter ants in through the end grain. Some form up a little dam on the bottom of the legs and pour 1/2" of epoxy as a water barrier. Others place the wood on concrete patio stones. Personally, I'd use pressure treated for the structure and make the rest from white oak. I'm glad the dealer didn't have redwood. The current stuff being cut has only a fraction of the rot resistance of old growth. Any sapwood on young cut redwood rots about as fast as pine. It's still sold on the stories of the past, and not current data.