witch would last longer pine or poplar for bird houses
If you're going to treat the wood with a stain or paint I would think that both should last as long as you want. I really can't say how long poplar would last untreated, but one advantage to using it for a birdhouse is that you can drive a nail or screw close to the edge without the wood splitting on you. Can't always get pine to do that.
White pine is your best bet, it is rated higher at rot resistance than aspen. Aspen is very poor against rot. Dead fire killed white pine will stand for decades in the forest. Aspen is on the ground in no time after it dies. In Northumberland county there have been more frequent fires than in my area. I have seen dead white pine standing among a new forest of spruce and fir 40 years after the fact. There is one spot I used to go fishing and you could look out for miles and miles and see them dead white pine snags towering over the new forest.
I have some Bluebird houses made of W/Pine that have been out there 10 years, maybe more, and they are unpainted!
Use the white pine and don't treat or paint it with anything, the birds will like it better. Paint and bright colors are to attract tourests. Frank C.
I make them out of hemlock now just trying to see what other woods will work
Birds dont care.Ive found that poplar makes a good floor under cattle or horses.Beats hemlock.Woodsman told me that poplar made a good floor for trucks,he was right...
36 coupe, you talking tulip tree (leriodendron) or aspen (populous)? No tulip tree in NS. Aspen wouldn't last at all under cows and horses or trailer decking. ;)
I've heard of aspen used for dump trucks some years back. The wood will dent and not break. Sounds good to me,I remember saying.
:D Yup, does. I hear lots of them tales, don't mean I'll be doing it. ;D
As far as aspen goes, when I was in HS, I built a dog sled of aspen, bent wood and all, weighed in at 15 lbs with Teflon on the runners, equipped with a brake and all. It could carry about 400 lbs. the fibers of aspen are long and resist shearing. They have a good bending moment before they fail.
Was a fun project, and a nice performing sled too.
Aspen is splinterless, which is possibly a good idea for saunas, toilet seats, kids' toys, and birdhouses. It is the weakest wood in North America. It is very soft and will give, as mentioned. It is not good for table legs, chair legs, etc. unless its size is increased to provide the needed strength...size will not increase the softness however.
Quote from: thecfarm on April 11, 2014, 07:40:35 PM
I've heard of aspen used for dump trucks some years back. The wood will dent and not break. Sounds good to me,I remember saying.
If you're worried about birds denting your birdhouse, put up a sign telling them to leave the corks at the door (and no woodpeckers allowed). :D
I know a few dump truck owners that us it and that is all they will us. I will post some photos this week of what I am doing. Rod
They must be home made dumps for like hauling firewood I assume. Large dump trucks hauling 20+ tons are steel bodied.
We had a dump on an old farm truck for hauling firewood and cleaning up potato sheds in the spring hauling dirt and cull potatoes to be buried. The dump bed was spruce, same bed for 20+ years.
A lot of the steal dumps have a spot along the top the put a 13x 1&3\4 plank.
Never see it done here and to be road legal the load needs tarping and secured. I've only seen planks used on rims of potato truck bulk bodies around here. Can't imagine a gravel truck using one and have the sand and stones come off and bust a windshield. Be in big do do.
Yup, all of the dumptrucks that I see have sideboards on top. Tarp/cover when hauling a load. They are all windshield magnets. :o :-\
they claim that it protects the top of the box when the are being loaded.I really don't know if it works is legal Ijust know the swear by it and pay for it.
most all the trucks here have the wood on top rail.
In the "old" days of horses with caulked shoes, the poplar was used because it crushed but didn't splinter and tear out. I used it once for a truck body floor and got about 5 years out of it.
Used to use elm here. Would wear better when horses would tread/paw in their stall.
while we're on the topic of aspen, anyone know if it's good for framing material? Thanks, Jake.
Yes, aspen is good for framing. Careful in the drying as it saws out green with some pesky wet spots.
here is photo of one of the bird feeders I make.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/25363/tall.jpg)
Quote from: Klicker on April 15, 2014, 06:43:37 AM
A lot of the steal dumps have a spot along the top the put a 13x 1&3\4 plank.
Quote from: SwampDonkey on April 15, 2014, 11:23:58 AM
Can't imagine a gravel truck using one and have the sand and stones come off and bust a windshield.
I take that back. They do use planks here, but there is no gaps between the plank and the body. That was what I was envisioning for some reason (a gap). About 15 years ago the DOT here clamped down hard on loads that were not secured and ones with cargo leaking out like sand, lime, grain etc. Even a load of pulp logs, which everyone knows is out to the air flow of a moving truck, has to be well checked even for loose debris like limbs and bark. My brother was behind a truck that had a bunch of debris spilling off it one time, not long ago. And he called the Irvings and they wanted to know the details like license on the truck.
Very nice Klicker. smiley_thumbsup
Quote from: SwampDonkey on April 11, 2014, 07:37:26 PM
36 coupe, you talking tulip tree (leriodendron) or aspen (populous)? No tulip tree in NS. Aspen wouldn't last at all under cows and horses or trailer decking. ;)
I have had a fat old cow on a poplar stall floor.It looks fine after 5 months.I have used poplar/aspen on stall floors for years.It out wears hemlock.Sorry but it works for me.Aspen is called popple in Maine.
Yes. However, I though you was from one of the states further south. Aspen, popple, and poplar always causes cornfusion. ;) There's nothing special about hemlock, doesn't last any longer than spruce. Have had spruce planks under cows and horses at my uncle's barn for 30 years. And they were work horses, not for riding.
Quote from: GeneWengert-WoodDoc on April 12, 2014, 09:31:03 AM
It is the weakest wood in North America. It is very soft and will give, as mentioned. ..size will not increase the softness however.
You ever try to drive a nail into dry aspen lumber ??? :)
Eastern hemlock is no joy either. ;) Western hemlock is much nicer. :)
Quote from: coppolajc10 on April 15, 2014, 09:47:00 PM
while we're on the topic of aspen, anyone know if it's good for framing material? Thanks, Jake.
The building that houses my mill and the extension I am putting on it are both framed using big tooth aspen. It makes a light but surprisingly strong dimension lumber. Nail it before it gets too much age to it. Aged aspen is somewhat resistant to nailing as Corley has experienced.