MexConnect.com Forums: Specific Focus: Home, Garden & Construction in Mexico: Wood

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shoe

Aug 19, 2007, 2:40 PM

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Wood	Can't Post \| Private Reply

I went up to Home Depot (bought some wood) and they do not have any treated wood. What type of wood around can you use for cement contact that will not rot? Where do I find it?

cya,
shoe

Nothing is intrinsically good or evil, but its manner of usage may make it so.
-St. Thomas Aquinas

Judy in Ags

Aug 22, 2007, 2:50 PM

Post #2 of 11 (3669 views)

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Re: [shoe] Wood

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We looked everywhere here in Ags. for treated plywood and it doesn't exit. 'Finally brought some from the U.S.

kwschopf

Aug 24, 2007, 10:50 AM

Post #3 of 11 (3629 views)

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Re: [shoe] Wood

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We are having an arriba built, and the builder used treated wood to form the roof. But it was not pressure-treated like you would find in the states. I may have misunderstood, but I think he said that it was simply brushed with used motor oil. (We have been wondering what is done with it here.) Last year, we had the roof on our carport cleaned, and the worker took all the tiles down, scrubbed them clean, and painted some kind of wood preservative (maybe creosote?) on the wooden framework and then put the tiles back. Bottom line, I think you have to do it yourself. Karen

Rolly / Moderator

Aug 24, 2007, 11:51 AM

Post #4 of 11 (3619 views)

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Re: [kwschopf] Wood

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Painting wood with used motor oil prevents the concrete from sticking to the wood. Very commonly done here.

Look here http://rollybrook.com/04-20-02.htm and here http://rollybrook.com/07-06.htm for views of oiled wood in use.

Rolly Pirate

Papirex

Aug 24, 2007, 1:46 PM

Post #5 of 11 (3609 views)

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Re: [Rolly] Wood

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When I was a teen-ager, I started to learn the cement trade. We used to paint all of the form lumber with diesel oil to prevent it from sticking to the cement when we would strip it off after the concrete had set. Usually, we would spray in on using one of those Sprayers with the reservoir that you pump air into for pressure like most of the fumigators use here.

It works great for that purpose, environmentally incorrect these days though. Used motor oil would probably work just as well.

Nowadays, in The US, very few concrete structures are made using wooden forms. Pre-fabricated metal panels that can be quickly joined, removed, and reused are usually used; they are called “pans’ on the job.

Rex
"The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved" - Victor Hugo

shoe

Aug 25, 2007, 2:32 AM

Post #6 of 11 (3580 views)

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Re: [RexC] Wood

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I understand the use of oil (used, new, linseed or ....) in the framing of structures.

I have seen palm posts used for palapas rot in less then 9 years that were oil treated. I want to use the wood for thresholds, window framing and things like that. I do not want it to rot away in a short time.

I believe there is a type of wood that does not rot here but I do not know what it is. The builders use it for doors a lot around here. Anyone knoww what it is?

I am thinking of polyurethane type of coating on the wood and concrete, a 6 mil plastic barrier and silicone caulking. Maybe this would work. Any other ideas?

shoe

yucatandreamer

Aug 25, 2007, 7:12 AM

Post #7 of 11 (3570 views)

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Re: [shoe] Wood

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Here in the Yucatan, where regular fir rots or is eaten almost overnight, a type of wood called Cedro is used. It is not the cedar that I know, but is resistant to rot and insect damage. The other wood that is used, if it can be found, is Sapote. The lintels in the pyramids were made of this topical hardwood and some have lasted to this day. I would look for a local lumberyard as opposed to Home Depot and ask them for recommendations.

Rolly / Moderator

Aug 25, 2007, 8:29 AM

Post #8 of 11 (3561 views)

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Re: [yucatandreamer] Wood

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Sapote in English is Sapodilla. It is a tropical fruit tree. Read more here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sapodilla

Cerdo is a true cedar. Most of what is called cedar in the USA is not cedar at all, but rather is one of the many types of juniper -- even "cedar closets" are made from juniper.

When I lived in Tarzana (Los Angeles), I had a 50-year-old cedar tree in my yard -- a magnificent tree.

Rolly Pirate

(This post was edited by Rolly on Aug 25, 2007, 8:36 AM)

yucatandreamer

Aug 25, 2007, 8:56 AM

Post #9 of 11 (3550 views)

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Re: [Rolly] Wood

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That is very interesting, I wondered why the cedro was not what I had always recognized as cedar. Anyway, I do think that Shoe would find more success at a local lumber place. There are wood types that are resistant to the elements but are not available at Home Depot. In my 100 year old house I have fir, cedro and sapote. Some of the fir that was here when I bought the home was powder, The new fir that was used in the interior for a closet has attracted termites within a year, the old cedro is a little bug damaged but still sound. The sapote(or other tropical hardwood) that was added as an outside beam will probably outlast the concrete.

hopalog

Aug 26, 2007, 11:20 AM

Post #10 of 11 (3511 views)

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Re: [yucatandreamer] Wood

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We use sapote (I thought it was Zapote :)), Salam and something else. Our palapero's dad goes into the forest (in Chiapas???) and hand cuts the wood. Sapote is the hardest wood I've even come across...

Hell's Half Acre

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shoe

Sep 1, 2007, 9:19 AM

Post #11 of 11 (3460 views)

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Re: [shoe] Wood

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Found it!

The wood they use in this area is Parota, a big tree it seems from the ones I have been shown. I found it at a lumber yard in Cihuatlan and bought a bunch for window and door frames. They promised that it would not rot (pudrirse?) when in contact with brick and concrete. It is a dark wood and looks pretty good. I think I will use it for other things I will make too.

Thanks everyone for the input.

cya,
shoe