Wood pier for casual

[steve000 (Steve)]

I expect some warp, but the goal is to last 5 years tops. I have some metal plates and if it goes bad fast then I'll use them, too much work for now, more of an experiment than anything.

I bolted everything together today and its done, just gotta seal it then build the cover.

[ZeroID (Brent)]

The good old drill press can be a very useful tool. I do any alignment critical tapping in that.

My pier plate is wood. 2 x 23 mm thick layers of 17 ply epoxied and screwed together then another layer of 7 mm x 5 ply as the mount head base. Varnished and sealed. It hasn't moved at all, perfectly flat and rigid.

[LewisM]

Ply is OK, but NOT quarter sawn treated radiata pine (seeing the wood they use for treated wood is usually "scrub" pine anyway - low quality).

Saw some THICK sheets/plates of clear acrylic/polycarbonate (lexan perhaps?) at Bunnings the other day for $50 for a LARGE sheet, 1.5" thick. Was thinking it would make a GREAT pier head plate - relatively easy to cut and waterproof (though may craze in UV - not sure)

[ZeroID (Brent)]

Originally Posted by LewisM

Ply is OK, but NOT quarter sawn treated radiata pine (seeing the wood they use for treated wood is usually "scrub" pine anyway - low quality).

Saw some THICK sheets/plates of clear acrylic/polycarbonate (lexan perhaps?) at Bunnings the other day for $50 for a LARGE sheet, 1.5" thick. Was thinking it would make a GREAT pier head plate - relatively easy to cut and waterproof (though may craze in UV - not sure)

Radiata isn't good for anything really. Cheap fences and cheap housing.

The Polycarbonate (?) would never see sunlight, no problem