Best Type of Wood for a Weather Exposed Table for a Large BGE

vchelf

I am planning to build a table for my large BGE.  My Egg currently sits in its nest and waits for me to feed it lump charcoal.  Once the table is built, I will probably buy one of the large covers, but it will still be somewhat exposed to the elements - it won't be under a covered patio.  I was curious what the forum thinks is the best type of wood for the table considering looks, wood durability, etc.  I was thinking about cedar or oak.  Any thoughts or recommendations are appreciated.

Jellyworm

Cypress

jllbms

Stainless steel.

jllbms

Keep the nest and put a table beside it. My table caught fire and it will soon be the wife's potting bench.

KennyLee

Cypress is great, but can be pricey.  Cedar is a great alternative that is more cost-efficient.  Weathers very well, but you should still put a clear sealant or stain/sealant on it if it sits outside. 

stripedegg

cedar......stain it if you want.  Do Not put polyurethane on it as a sealant.  Make sure you use Spar/Varnish.  Spar/Varnish is the most UV resistant.  Either way, you're table will need a little maintenance every spring.  Check out some of my posts from my past tables or look at my twitter which is @grillworx9 Hampton Grill Worx.

Carolina Q

jllbms said:

Keep the nest and put a table beside it. My table caught fire and it will soon be the wife's potting bench.

This,

hapster

This +1 ^^^^^

Carolina Q

Or stone.

cortguitarman

White oak is amazing but expensive. Have you considered building the frame out of pressure treated and using PVC Azek material for the finishes? This stuff is amazing. I build decks on the side and the Azek is indestructible.

chashans

Prolonged contact with water will leave deep dark black stains on oak.

chashans

A short walk to our nearby yacht basin and you will see the wood of choice for wet environments. Teak is used for indoor and outdoor, both finished and unfinished. Expensive, but if you can afford a yacht you do not have to worry about the $$. Looks beautiful with several coats of spar varnish applied and renewed every few years. Or...is handsome unfinished with a coat of teak oil applied annually.

NPHuskerFL

Teak, Cypress, but, if environment is that challenging I would say a nest and separate table or SS egg table. Wood with a nuclear egg just doesn't appeal to me. Folks can say they don't catch fire often but, it only takes once unfortunately. Fact is concrete or SS is gonna be there for the long haul. Just my 2¢

cortguitarman

Red oak will stain. White oak will turn gray when unfinished.

NPHuskerFL

Totally OT but, @vchelf‌ my SWMBO would love your avatar (Gator) as she is a UF alumni graduate.

Drunkonmeat

I am still designing my table and have all but settled on Cumaru deck wood. Class one fire rated. Kinda cashie at $22.  for a 1X6-8'.

fishlessman

teak, cypress, or mahogany. for the money mahogany is a descent choice, i have it on my 25 year old lobster boat and its stood up for 25 years with no sealer

booksw

Mine is teak which is beautiful but after 2 years of using it, I think stainless steel would have been a better choice.  Also, it would look better if I oiled it regularly but I don't.

PhillyBoy23

Hey Hapster.....did u make that side table or buy it somewhere?

Wolfpack

Ipe- doesn't burn and nice looking but hard to work with.

vchelf

NPHuskerFL said:

Teak, Cypress, but, if environment is that challenging I would say a nest and separate table or SS egg table. Wood with a nuclear egg just doesn't appeal to me. Folks can say they don't catch fire often but, it only takes once unfortunately. Fact is concrete or SS is gonna be there for the long haul. Just my 2¢

My environment isn't that challenging.  I live in Houston, so it is humid and hot in the summer.  We also tend to get a fair amount of rain.  I just want the table to withstand the elements and also look good.  I didn't want to go the pressure treated pine 2x4 route.  Nothing wrong with that - I just wanted something a bit nicer for my prized toy!

Cookinbob

Mine is a combination of PT pine (frame) and Cedar. 2 coats of deck stain. I keep it covered. 1 year and a hard winter in it is still great, it will last many years.

The Naked Whiz

Teak.   If it is good enough for the Battleship North Carolina's decks, it's good enough for eggin'. 

chashans

You see a lot of kiln dried Douglas fir used as finish wood in Japan. It is very attractive with several coats of varnish applied. Here it is almost never considered as a finish wood even though it is practical, inexpensive and available. 

fishlessman

chashans said:

You see a lot of kiln dried Douglas fir used as finish wood in Japan. It is very attractive with several coats of varnish applied. Here it is almost never considered as a finish wood even though it is practical, inexpensive and available. 

my house is made from douglas fir, 1940's douglas fir log siding and still the origional fir  flooring

chashans

I bet that your floor is beautiful! I can visualize it's color. Here in California it is used as a framing wood on new construction and almost never used as a finish wood.

fishlessman said:

chashans said:

You see a lot of kiln dried Douglas fir used as finish wood in Japan. It is very attractive with several coats of varnish applied. Here it is almost never considered as a finish wood even though it is practical, inexpensive and available. 

my house is made from douglas fir, 1940's douglas fir log siding and still the origional fir  flooring

Gator_Fan

NPHuskerFL said:

Totally OT but, @vchelf‌ my SWMBO would love your avatar (Gator) as she is a UF alumni graduate.

Use anything BUT...... Corn Husks !!

LOL

CDM

Red oak also looks great and is very durable, if protected with 4-5 coats of Spar.  Photo attached.

nolaegghead

vchelf said:

NPHuskerFL said:

Teak, Cypress, but, if environment is that challenging I would say a nest and separate table or SS egg table. Wood with a nuclear egg just doesn't appeal to me. Folks can say they don't catch fire often but, it only takes once unfortunately. Fact is concrete or SS is gonna be there for the long haul. Just my 2¢

My environment isn't that challenging.  I live in Houston, so it is humid and hot in the summer.  We also tend to get a fair amount of rain.  I just want the table to withstand the elements and also look good.  I didn't want to go the pressure treated pine 2x4 route.  Nothing wrong with that - I just wanted something a bit nicer for my prized toy!

Listen, you'll get this answer from any woodworking forum.  If you design and finish the table properly to keep the wood protected and dry, you can use ANY wood you want.  It's just not that important.  If you want to build a table with no regard to preserving the wood through design or finish, then some species will last much longer than others.