Ash or Sapele for cratch

[RickS]

Morning (just)

I suppose the title says it all. I have a choice of Ash or Sapele to have a cratch board made from but not sure of the relative advantages or disadvantages of either.

I would appreciate anyone's thoughts please.

Oh, and there is the possibility of Oak too 🙂

Thanks

[Stilllearning]

5 minutes ago, Rick Savery said:

Morning (just)

I suppose the title says it all. I have a choice of Ash or Sapele to have a cratch board made from but not sure of the relative advantages or disadvantages of either.

I would appreciate anyone's thoughts please.

Oh, and there is the possibility of Oak too 🙂

Thanks

Ash. Think of Morris Minor Travellers. Sapele is a non native hardwood and imho there is no such thing as sustainably managed tropical hardwood.

[Tony Brooks]

While thinking about Morris Travellers remember how black the wood would get in if not regularly rubbed down and revarnished. Mind you, I expect sapele would need just as much attention to prevent it looking a mess as well.  We had a batch of the mini version that must have had a factory defect and even with the special liquid supplied by the factory we could never get the black totally out of the grain.

[Bee]

I reckon treated softwood is possibly the best option. Stain it with Sikkens or something or paint it and job done. If I had to do another wheelhouse that's what I would do.

[tree monkey]

Use Ash, not for any practical robustness claims but there's shit loads being felled at the moment and it would be nice to see it used, rather than just burned 

[Tracy D'arth]

Ash will go black and rot.

Sapele is poor man's mahogany.  

Mahogany is sustainable, its being grown in the Philippines.

Iroko is my choice for cratch boards.

[Phoenix_V]

https://southgatetimber.co.uk/catalog/african-iroko

[magnetman]

Steel?

[Machpoint005]

3 hours ago, Tracy D'arth said:

Ash will go black and rot.<<

Not if it's painted it won't.

[Tracy D'arth]

4 minutes ago, Machpoint005 said:

Not if it's painted it won't.

Not so.

[Machpoint005]

OK, small correction - not if it's properly and regularly painted.

[Cheshire cat]

Varnish is just colourless paint. I've just spent a day trying to remove the water based varnish from my front door surround. It totally gummed up the sandpaper. I've no idea what the wood is but now it is getting Sikkens Mahogany. 

 

I would go with Sappele. It maybe poor mans mahogany but it's still available. Either that or go on Ebay and look for science lab worktops

[Stilllearning]

No English oak around? Or a local reclamation yard, get some old floorboards? 

Any use of tropical hardwood damages the diminishing rainforests.

[RickS]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and advice - helpful as always. I am not sure whether the oak available is English or American but slightly surprised it wasn't mentioned more.

Some interesting points to mull over before making a final choice

[BilgePump]

Iroko or Afromosia would be great, but I'm guessing from the OP's 'have a cratch board made' that the timber options are those offered by the joiner being engaged for the task. Doing it oneself may allow for time to source reclaimed boards/worktops/furniture for vintage hardwood timber but a yard/tradesperson can't really offer that option or easily factor it in to a price. All three should be fine, if appropriately treated, regularly, with paint or varnish, lots of initial layers soaking in. Leave them to peel and soak water for years and they'll all start to deteriorate. Ash does seem to go black very quickly when exposed to damp but is a respectable and sustainable option if kept properly sealed. 

[Mike Jordan]

Ash will rot very early on if its in cointact with damp. American ash is much worse than european.ak 

Sapelle is much better but is favoured and talked up by cover makers since its one of the cheaper hardwoods.

European Oak is several times better than both of the former timbers but again American red and white is available on the market and is poor.

The ultimate timber for the job is Iroko, it costs about the same as European Oak. its oily nature means that exoxy glues are needed and a competent craftman to handle its slightly difficult 

working properties. It will easily last thirty years in outdoor use.

Softwood will not last very well at all and is normally a false economy.

Mike.

[BilgePump]

3 minutes ago, Rick Savery said:

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and advice - helpful as always. I am not sure whether the oak available is English or American but slightly surprised it wasn't mentioned more.

Some interesting points to mull over before making a final choice

Cross posted as you replied. I suspect it will be American white oak but again, it should be up to the task. A DIYer on the cheap could even get a good few years out of using properly treated redwood pine. All timber outside on a boat needs to be properly treated in the initial coats and then regularly thereafter. I've only known teak rails/cleats to allow for some years of neglect and still be salvageable, but even they will eventually begin to rot or split.