Cumaro decking-is it usable for outdoor furniture?

allen levine

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new york city burbs
Im looking for a suitable hard wood thats both strong and resistant to rot.
I found Cumaru decking, 3/4"x5.5" that would be close enough in size (limited wasted for the price)and Im guessing its smooth enough on 3 surfaces so it would make it easy enough for me to work with.
Is there any reason anyone knows of that would make this type decking unsuitable to make outdoor furniture with?
Im totally unfamiliar with this wood, other than what I read.
Redwood decking, PT decking, presents no problems, as Ive used them both to build furniture with.
This would be a huge savings for me moneywise, and actually allow me to build with quality hardwood(?) at a low enough price.
Any help or answers would be appreciated.
 
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Allen,

Looks like it's endangered: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umburana_Do_Cheiro

But people are using it for flooring:

http://www.brazilianhardwood.com/products/flooring/brazilianteak/

My guess is it would be fairly longlasting outside, with proper finishing. Interesting factoid: "It is one of the densest woods available at 280% as hard as domestic red oak."

try this link: http://www.mercomarine.com/Boat Docks/cumaru decking.html

of perhaps more interest: http://www.sanantoniowholesalelumber.com/cumaru.htm



Thanks,

Bill
 
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I have not used this timber but have used Tatajuba which is similarly dense. Absolutely horribly soul destroying to work with. Tragic on tooling, way too heavy for comfort and a real pain to use screws in. If you don't drill oversized pilots you will break lots of screws. I used to use 3 drill bits to finish a chair because unless your bit is really sharp you will burn or waste a lot of time drilling. Dense is an advantage right up until the moment when too dense takes over. If you can get it cheap by all means try it but I will be surprised if you enjoy the experience
 
I was going to be in buffalo, and found a dealer, Advantage,(was ready to give them a buzz) figured Id buy 400, maybe 500 feet I could take home.
But if its that tough when it comes to drilling and handling, Im going to have to skip it.
Im no sissy, but Im also looking to enjoy the work I do.
White oak is tough enough for me, so if this is so dense and heavy, I dont think I can deal with it.

Thankyou for all the quick responses.

Im just searching for an alternative hardwood, besides white oak, of beauty, strength, and something along exotic.(and price, price being the major issue, as long as I can handle the wood)
 
Absolutely horribly soul destroying to work with. Tragic on tooling, way too heavy for comfort and a real pain to use screws in. If you don't drill oversized pilots you will break lots of screws. I used to use 3 drill bits to finish a chair because unless your bit is really sharp you will burn or waste a lot of time drilling. Dense is an advantage right up until the moment when too dense takes over.


Ian, I almost laughed at your post. It seems youve had your share of bad experiences with this sort of hardwood.
Your post alone scared me away from any thoughts of purchasing it.Im not the type that would enjoy fighting with drillbits and screws.
Have you worked with any other exotic hardwoods rot resistant that you would recommend I give a shot?(if its too pricey, I wouldnt consider it)
 
Allen - bear in mind that my experience is with a different species albeit very similar sounding from the descriptions I have found. I use Cedar, European Oak and Iroko. My oak is similar to work to Amercian White although a bit more grainy generally. I don't know if you get Iroko - West African timber - works a bit like Teak and used to be sold over here as West african Teak. Pretty tough on blades and can be "dimensionally unstable" unless you choose the right grain. Dust is horrid - sticky smelly and very fine. If I was you I would stick with the Oak.
 
against all better judgement, I went ahead and ordered some cumaru wood.
I went looking for teak, and its out of the question.
I got me some african mahogany also, pinkish in color,(I guess Ill stain it dark mahogany) so Im going to try a few chairs in all types of wood.
I will eventually build an entire outdoor set for myself out of the wood I find the most beautiful, hard, but manageable to work with
Ill put up some pics of the raw woods when I get it this week.(I received the mahogany already)
 
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Allen,
DOllar short and a day late on this, but how about looking at Lyptus for the outdoor furniture if that c-stuff turns out to be less than pleasant? also,
if you're willing to go to buffalo to buy wood, how about another dealer closer to home, (only a little),Check out Lakeshorehardwoods.com Brian is the proprietor and he's really knowledgable and nice to deal with. Plus he ships nationwide.

How come Steve Ash hasen't chimed in on this thread? He's the Chevy expert.:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

Sorry. Couldn't resist.:eek:

Hey, Steve does fine work, but I'm pretty certain he likes Chevelles, not camaros. Wish I still had my 69 to play with.
 
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Im in the buffalo area during the non summer months, my kid is up there.
(but I will shop around if Im not happy, thanx for the tip)

:D Id think a member named Ash would be more into the white oak stuff.
 
I received the cumaru decking 1x6s.

Now I know what dense wood is. Its not as dense as my brain, but 6 1x6's weigh 100 lbs, and that in itself is a beautiful anti theft device.

Dont look like Ill be able to work with it.

I did purchase 2 carbide tipped blades for the saws, but judging from the weight alone, well, I shoulda listened. Some things I have to see for myself.(the pink stuff is the african mahogany)

I feel bad for the UPS driver, 95 degrees and humid, and he carried it to my backyard since I wasnt home, nice guy.
 

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I don't know about the C-wood but I have built quite a bit of outdoor stuff out of ipe, which sounds comparably heavy and hard (some boards float, others do not). I cuss over the care required to pre-drill for screws, but have not had noticeable excess wear on carbide tools, or even on a steel bit used for 252 mortises in ipe. See www.plesums.com/wood/other/planter.html

Although they are heavy to move, they don't blow over in the wind, either.
 
I don't know about the C-wood but I have built quite a bit of outdoor stuff out of ipe, which sounds comparably heavy and hard (some boards float, others do not). I cuss over the care required to pre-drill for screws, but have not had noticeable excess wear on carbide tools, or even on a steel bit used for 252 mortises in ipe. See www.plesums.com/wood/other/planter.html

Although they are heavy to move, they don't blow over in the wind, either.


I read they dont glue up well do to the oily nature of the wood, could hurt me with chairs.
 
I cut a piece to test out what Im dealing with, not a big deal, I didnt try to drill, but Im going out to buy a new respirator/face mask.
My entire garage stunk from one piece, and unless I shut down my AC in my back room, Ill keep blowing the fuse with the Dust collector(shop vac hooked up, I was going to cut it all outside undera tent)

I need to get a couple of dedicated lines into my garage. They run off the same fuse as the back room AC, and that cools off the eating area and kitchen, and den, so in 100 degree and humid weather, I dont shut that one down.
 
I read they dont glue up well do to the oily nature of the wood, could hurt me with chairs.

I screw the chairs together with stainless steel screws (a lot of work).

The huge planter was mortise and tenon joints... the "front-to-back" pieces were glued with PL Premium Polyurethane construction adhesive; the "assembled on site" parts (which theoretically may need to be disassembled someday) have a few stainless screws through the verticals from the back, into the tenon. Only about 25 screws were required to hold the planter together.

The hex tabletop was glued with the poly after careful cleaning with solvent.

The customer is still happy, and was talking to me recently about more work, so it must be holding okay!
 
IM discouraged already, I had to reread your page, but for me I believe it was a waste of money.
Ill make the attempt, but wont get angry if Im having too difficult a time to continue. Lesson learned.
 
Well, it took me 6.5 hours to complete one chair out of Cumaru.
Im not sure what the relationship is to Ipe, but Im pretty sure its all about the same darn stuff. Very, very smooth, known for decking that you can walk barefoot on.
I did not change my blades in either saw, even though I purchased new blades.
It cut fairly easy on table saw and mitre saw, not many burns.

Routing over the edges were beautiful.

Now drilling and jigsawing, that was a challenge for me.

I broke 2 jigsaw blades attempting to do the 30 degree angle cuts. Both times the blades(t type, bosch) cracked at the T.
I had a blade by bosch called Bimetal, and when I put that in, it cut relatively easily, even on the angle.
Drilling through, I used Tapered hardened stell bits by Dewalt, and it was very challenging. Sometimes, while smoking, Id hear a pop, and a spark, like a firecracker. I kinda figured the friction was igniting something, maybe the wood, the oils, I dont know. The 18V ryobi's were struggling, and I had to change off batteries constantly, couldnt wait for full charges.
I cracked only one Bit, but that was my fault cause I drilled into the arm, hit a cross screw holding the arm bracket, and and the bit end cracked.
I also had to recut the arm bracket, cause if the hole was not drilled perfectly straight and all the way past the tip of the screw, any screw going in not pre-drilled for any distance, split the wood instantly.
I split the arm bracket again, but not bad, in the back, so I forced some glue in, and clamped it. The chair is mine, I can live with it.(tightbond IIIglue, I have no clue how strong the bond will be, only time will tell, but I sat in it for a while, and Im quite a big boy, so Im sure it will be okay. Screws seemed to catch well and felt tight)

I decided to go with a BLO oil and spar-varnish mix to finish the cumaru chair.

I have not sanded it but I put some poly on all the end cuts, only cause Mr. Plesums mentioned it somewhere in his posts about the furniture and planter he built, and I had no end grain sealent, but figured this might be just as good.

Overall, 6.5 hours, 2 jigsaw bits, one drill bit, but not a bad experience.
Im going to purchase alot fo this wood end of summer when I get up to buffalo. I intend on making one more adirondack chair, then Im going to attempt to build a complete outdoor set, table, 4 chairs, using alot of Mand T joinery. Its about time I attempt some quality work. I cant run away from the inevitable forever.(Ill purchase a drill press by then)

The chair isnt as heavy as I thought it would be, a bit heavier than white oak, but manageable.

My wife had trouble lifting it, but could move it.

I told her Ill chain it to her car tonight, since they are expecting strong storms, and it will keep her car from blowing away.

Heres the chair.
Cumaru is on the left, the small piece of wood, is a sample of the finish Im going to use, around 10% spar varnish mixed with BLO. I dont know much else, and I have a ton of BLO.
Id take recos if anyone knows a great finish.
The chair on the right is the African Mahogany, stained with Minwax RedChestnut, not drying too well, the air is saturated with humidity for the past few days.
Im posting this to share my experience with Cumaru/Ipe wood. Id highly recommend it to anyone, its quite beautiful, a bit heavy, but I believe its just as pretty, if not more, than high quality Teak.
 

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if you or anyone can help me with the finishing, Id appreciate it before I regret what I do.
Im not 100% sure if I can just use something like McCloskys spar varnish(marine grade), mix it at around 15% varnish, 85% BLO and rub it on?
Should I dilute the Varnish at all with mineral spirits first, then mix it more like 40% with 60% BLO, half and half?
I have a ton of BLO but the spar varnish is expensive, Id hate to waste half a quart.
Any help would be appreciated. Id prefer to wipe it on to ensure total and even coverage.
 
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