Cypress Glue Up

[Jeff]

I'm building a couple of cypress planter boxes for the LOML. Is TiteBond II an acceptable glue for cypress (oily wood?) and this intended application or should I consider Gorilla glue? :dontknow:

Most likely we'll end up putting potting soil directly into the planter boxes instead of plastic containers to hold the plants. Therefore the wood & joinery will be exposed to plenty of moisture during and after watering. :eusa_naug

Maybe we should rethink that above and use plastic pots instead?

Thanks for your input and advice.

 

[Mike Davis]

Titebond III is supposed to be more water resistant.

 

[WoodWrangler]

As much as I hate them, I do use a Poly glue -- like Gorilla, but not that brand -- for Cypress. It's 100% waterproof and does excellent outside. This is the one, and only, place that I prefer poly glue.

Titebond III is good too and works good outside.

 

[mlzettl]

My vote is for Titebond III. For all practical purposes, totally waterproof. It also has excellent strength and is easy to use.

A few years ago when it first came out, I did an admittedly unscientific test. I took several pieces of wood and edge glued them with Titebond III. I let it set for 24 hours, and then boiled it for two hours. Then, I set it on the asphalt shingle roof of our shed in constant daylight sun during July for a week. There was considerable end checking, warping, etc., but absolutely no separation, splitting, or signs of failure at any glue line. That was enough to convince me.

Matt

 

[Gotcha6]

If moisture is a major concern, have you thought about a liner for the planter out of roll PVC shower pan material? You could drill & caulk in a couple of drain sleeves.

 

[gazzer]

I built a cypress chest for outside storage a few years back using Titebond III. I have had no problems with other than the chest attracting limbs from my neighbor's big poplar. Repairs made with WEST system epoxy are also holding up well.


-G

 

[woodArtz]

I use TB III on my cypress Adirondacks. It works like a charm. Fine Woodworking Magazine just did an article that had some surprising results regarding Polyurethane glue.

"The surprise of the test was this glue’s poor showing. The snug joints were poor, and the loose joints were unacceptable. Polyurethane may be a tough finish, but it isn’t a tough glue."

FWW chooses TB III (or more accurately PVA Type I) as the best overall in the article.

http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/FWNPDF/011192036.pdf

 

[PChristy]

I built a cypress chest for outside storage a few years back using Titebond III. I have had no problems with other than the chest attracting limbs from my neighbor's big poplar. Repairs made with WEST system epoxy are also holding up well.


-G

WOW Gazzer that is a great looking chest:thumbs_up

 

[Scwood]

Thats a real nice chest there Gazzer!!!!

 

[Jeff]

That's a nice looking chest. I'm curious as to how you finished it. I've read that unfinished cypress will eventually turn pewter gray like a weathered piece of driftwood.
That's not a bad look either and it's Mother Nature's ultimate low maintenance finish.

 

[Jeff]

Shower pan liner is an interesting thought. What's it like to work with and where can it be found (Lowe's)? ccasion1

The FWW article on glue strengths/failures is interesting. I've used G-glue on a few non-woodworking things and I was dreading the idea of having to use it on wood joints. Kudos to TiteBond III. :icon_cheers

Thanks to all for advice and suggestions.

 

[gazzer]

That's a nice looking chest. I'm curious as to how you finished it. I've read that unfinished cypress will eventually turn pewter gray like a weathered piece of driftwood.
That's not a bad look either and it's Mother Nature's ultimate low maintenance finish.

I originally put on a few coats of a Behr oil finish that was advertised to have UV protection. Looked great for a few months and then started to deteriorate. I ended up removing the built up stuff by scraping, resanding, and then putting on a few coats of spar varnish. It's due for another coat ad I reckon this will be a routine ritual every spring (after all the pollen is gone). When I get tired of it in a few years, we'll see what it looks like weathered.

Design is from Workbench mag issue 284, Aug 04.

 

[Howard Acheson]

>> Most likely we'll end up putting potting soil directly into the planter boxes instead of plastic containers to hold the plants.

That being the case, I recommend using TBIII. BTW, cypress is not an oily wood. It's also not a particularly good choice for a constantly damp application. Old growth cypress is considered decay resistant but new growth cypress is not particularly rot resistant. I would recommend using some sort of plastic liners in your planters.

 

[Jeff]

Gazzer & Howard,

Thanks for the heads up. I think that I'll leave the wood unfinished in its natural state and see what happens. What the heck they're just planter boxes so nothing ventured nothing gained. :BangHead:

I will use TB III and figure out how to put a liner (or individual planting pots) within the frame instead of just adding potting soil.

However, now I'm curious about Howard's statement that new & old growth cypress differ in their respective rot resistance. The wood (new or old) contains cypressine which is supposed to impart that resistance to rot, mildew, and insect damage. So why is there a difference between new and old growth timber? :dontknow:

 

[DaveO]

However, now I'm curious about Howard's statement that new & old growth cypress differ in their respective rot resistance. The wood (new or old) contains cypressine which is supposed to impart that resistance to rot, mildew, and insect damage. So why is there a difference between new and old growth timber? :dontknow:

That's very similar to the differences in Heart Pine and the Pine that is available today. It has a lot to do with how quickly or slowly the tree grows and the density of the wood. The denser the wood in a slower growing tree is going to have a higher concentration of the resins that make it more rot resistance. You find the same issue in Redwood now between the almost unavailable old growth and new growth.
Old growth trees grew much slower as they had to compete for light in the denser forests. That slower growth gave denser wood.

Dave

 

[Jeff]

That's very similar to the differences in Heart Pine and the Pine that is available today. It has a lot to do with how quickly or slowly the tree grows and the density of the wood. The denser the wood in a slower growing tree is going to have a higher concentration of the resins that make it more rot resistance. You find the same issue in Redwood now between the almost unavailable old growth and new growth.
Old growth trees grew much slower as they had to compete for light in the denser forests. That slower growth gave denser wood.

Dave

That makes sound scientific sense to my chemist's intuition. Don't we all get better with age? ccasion1

 

[Howard Acheson]

I suspect that the old grown trees have a closer ring structure than todays faster grown trees. That's generally the reason.

You can get more info on the subject from the Wood Handbook published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory. See chapter 3 Table 3-10 on page 3-18.

(http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/fplgtr/fplgtr113/fplgtr113.htm)

 

[WoodWrangler]

Not sure this helps anything, but this a torture test on exterior glue by Wood magazine.
http://www.woodmagazine.com/woodvis...d=8683852001&esrc=nwwood42_09&email=921423272

 

[jlwest]

Many boat builders use Weldwood plastic resin glue. Totally waterproof. It is a powder that is mixed with water. Good set time and does not let go.

Jeff