please help ID this wood
Moderators: oldhouse, TinaB, Don M, Schag
please help ID this wood
This is the wood used in my original porch spindles. its over 100 years old. I used my table saw to remove 1/4" of the outside of 2 of them to reveal the grain....
pictures at http://public.fotki.com/shod/porch/
Whats the general opinion of using hemlock for exterior applications how does it compare to poplar or cypress at almost 50% more $$?
pictures at http://public.fotki.com/shod/porch/
Whats the general opinion of using hemlock for exterior applications how does it compare to poplar or cypress at almost 50% more $$?
looks alot like redwood to me
Square, Plumb, or Level ... Pick two.
Our Home: 3,550sf 1891 Queen Anne / Victorian Eclectic
http://www.1160main.com/webdoc7.htm
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Our Home: 3,550sf 1891 Queen Anne / Victorian Eclectic
http://www.1160main.com/webdoc7.htm
visit my blog and make a comment

For exterior purposes, cypress beats poplar, in my understanding. Poplar being more of an interior wood. I don't remember much about hemlock.
Your baulasters could be humble yellow pine. The old slow growth yellow pine was prized for building because of it's stability, even when relatively "green." Although a "soft" wood, it has a weight (or mass) close to that of maple, making it a "hard" lumber although a "softwood" tree,* and kept painted the old growth white and yellow pine hold up pretty well.
*This would be why my half yellow pine and half maple floor doesn't have any problems where it meets despite years of painful abuse.
Your baulasters could be humble yellow pine. The old slow growth yellow pine was prized for building because of it's stability, even when relatively "green." Although a "soft" wood, it has a weight (or mass) close to that of maple, making it a "hard" lumber although a "softwood" tree,* and kept painted the old growth white and yellow pine hold up pretty well.
*This would be why my half yellow pine and half maple floor doesn't have any problems where it meets despite years of painful abuse.
Personally, I'd keep them, just give the dang things a new coat of paint, and put a pipe and screen rail behind it. I hate the "new" railings on old houses. They are usually way flimsy and weak, and completely out of proportion. Historic properties around here use a rail and mesh set up in black that disappears behind the original railings.
They could be dip-stripped, but that can be expensive (and I will repeat dip-stripping does not necessarily use the lye baths that raise grain and leave residue behind. Ask your pro.)
Do you have a local salvage place???
They could be dip-stripped, but that can be expensive (and I will repeat dip-stripping does not necessarily use the lye baths that raise grain and leave residue behind. Ask your pro.)
Do you have a local salvage place???
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It is my understanding that if you have elements of your house that are historical (grandfathered in) you do not have to bring those elements up to current codes and standards unless you are replacing them. If you are repairing them you should be able to use what was there. If I am wrong someone else needs to jump in. Try just cutting off enough, say half a blade width. or. run them thru a planer. I'm not sure if they have much value. We have alot of this type of material (not the same wood) that has buried itself in a corner until someone remembers and finds a us efor them. Most likley it becomes a BTU donor.
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To my knowledge, poplar is about the softest and most lightweight wood shy of balsa. My dad used poplar plywood for building boxes to go in the back of our van and it's incredible! The wood gets dings and scratches daily, the screws ripped out fairly soon,... no, poplar doesn't impress me at all.
Cypress sounds like average construction grade wood.
Cypress sounds like average construction grade wood.