**C-Fir for Pergola rafters?**
RalphWicklund
| Posted in Construction Techniques on
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I can’t, or don’t want, to use PT for the exposed rafters because they will check or crack and twist and the painted job will look like S*** in a short while. Cedar and Cypress are my other available choices although I lean far away from Cypress because of the oil content interferring with the paint adhesion. Can I get your opinions and experience, please? |
Replies
All of my pergola's have been done with clear doug fir for the timbering. Got a photo just posted in cargins pergola materials thread.
but fir does have some of the same paint grip problems because of resins and extractives. You want to look for an oil primer that is made for redwoods and cedars and fir, or a shellac based exterior primer.
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I've used clear red cedar, sanded to remove mill glaze, and oil-primed with Fresh Start.
Also used "appearance grade" red cedar and don't recommend it--too knotty and splitty.
Also used sugar pine well-primed and with a copper cap, but now wish I hadn't. No problems yet that I know of but it won't last as long as the others.
CVG red cedar is the best (IMO) if you don't mind it's lack of "green-ness."
If you can get good cypress, and hit it with something like oil-based Kilz before it goes up, paint will stick for a long time.http://www.tvwsolar.com
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