arborvitae picnic table

[ohsoloco]

I'm so excited to finally have a picnic table at the house  8)  I got some arborvitae logs sawn up last summer, and today I built the table. 

So, what's the rot resistance of this stuff like  ???  I'd rather just let it weather naturally if it's going to hold up for the long haul.  Thought about treating the bottoms of the legs with some epoxy to keep moisture from wicking.  If I recall from something I read a while back you can thin epoxy with acetone...will anything else work?

[CHARLIE]

Gosh! I've never seen an arborvitae that was big enough to make lumber.  I don't know about epoxy but I think I'd take some gallon milk jugs and cut them in half. Then use the bottom part.  I'd set each leg of the table into the jug bottom and pour in some thinned out polyurethane varnish and just let it sit there for about 24 hours. That should soak up into the end grain real well.

[ohsoloco]

Well, I've read arborvitae being used synonymously with white cedar...I gots some type of white cedar on my hands    Wonder how well anchorseal would work on the legs  ???  Of course, I have some poly that should probably be used up soon anyway...

[SwampDonkey]

I was wondering what species your calling arbor vitae, as that name is synonymous to northern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis) used by French explorer Jacques Cartier in the winter of 1536 to treat scurvy after being shown by the natives.

Northern white cedar is usually stained and/or painted for lawn furniture and lasts quite a while.

I would secure bricks or blocks under the legs to keep out of the mud. I keep some cut off 2x6 under my spruce Octagon picnic table. Made it three years ago and stained and painted it.

[CHARLIE]

I don't think Anchorseal would work for that application.