Asked on Sep 10, 2016

Recycling weather boards

We have New Zealand rimu weather boards and want to recycle the ones we have removed from our house to make an outdoor table. Any ideas about how we can use them to make a flat table top
  4 answers
  • 4me9347037 4me9347037 on Sep 11, 2016
    Check out Shou-sugi-ban which is a method of charring wood. We used rough sawn old planks from a shed we tore down and they came out so great we used them on interior walls! Check pinterest for details.
  • Thenne1713 Thenne1713 on Sep 11, 2016
    If they will be weather exposed, install w/ 1/8"-gap like a picnic table, if a protected area, you might try to attach to each other. (doweled/ biscuit, or Kreg-Jig) If rough-sawn, you have options of shop plane before assembly, hand plane after assembly, power hand-held planer after assembly or sand/ belt-sand after assembly. You even have option of having a shop plane/ assemble for you?
  • Nancy Flemming Nancy Flemming on Sep 11, 2016
    OMG don't char the wood, NZ Rimu is beautiful hardwood, just plane and make your table as Thenne1713 suggests. Use a good exterior wood protector
  • Tamara Thornton-Butler Tamara Thornton-Butler on Sep 12, 2016
    Oh Nancy thank you for your advice. I had planned on just preparing the wood to be sealed from the environment. The wood is about 70 years old and a beautiful colour. I will plane it down as suggested.