gcardogm wrote:What's the best wood for spars?
Most people use 1x2's or 1x3's for spars. These are commonly available in whitewood (SPF), hardwoods (oak, poplar, maple, etc.) and a few select other species, like radiata pine and cedar. Some people use 2x2's or ripped 1x2's from dimensional lumber, which might be SPF, Hem/Fir, or Southern Yellow Pine.
Anyways, I'm getting ahead of myself. Most people install an interior ceiling that hides the roof spars, so looks don't matter.
- The #1 choice seams to be poplar: It's a strong, good-enough hardwood that doesn't easily split because it's soft.
- I'd say the #2 choice would be radiata pine. It's very affordable, strong, and easily machines.
- Some people use cedar. I haven't. It's extremely rot resistant, but it splits easily when kiln-dried.
- If looks DO matter, then you get into the realm of red oak, maple, hickory, alder and how to finish them, and that's beyond the scope of this thread. Suffice it to say, most any premium hardwood would suffice as a roof spar.
- Lastly, some people use dimensional lumber. I've tried this, and I generally don't like it. It's hard to find or machine a piece of dimensional lumber, regardless of the species, without a honkin' big knot that just ruins the strength of the whole spar. I have found cheap dimensional lumber, like 1x2 or 2x2 furring strips, to be a pile of headaches.