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Board Curve / Treatments

Square Foot Gardening List - http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html

>>I would think > that 2" thick wood won't curve, no matter
how long. Or am I wrong?

>We originally built beds 12 feet long by 4 feet wide,
from untreated 2" stock. The long sides did not curve. 

>However, the wood does rot fairly quickly, and replacing
pieces can be a real pain.
--------------------------------------
*This is a long term or at least mid term time invesment.
A good subject. There are a few things to consider.

1) Mushrooms are pre-planed rotting.
2) Funji/mushrooms require moisture, so dry wood doesn't rot.
3)  Gardens require moisture.
4) Treated wood retards funal growth.

Treatments may be:
Paint, which moisture goes thru slower, but when they do rot,
it feels icky to think of putting paint into the soil as
composted boards.

Boat resin can be used.  Think...fiberglas w/o the glass.
Fairly long term.  A two part "paint" like 2 part epoxy.
A good solution.  Your brush or roller is used once.
Set all the boards up on saw horses or rocks.  Mix your
paint/hardener.  Slop it on with all reasonable dispatch.
Coverage counts, not neatness.  I pour it on and use the
brush as a spreader.  Figure 5-15 years.

Water sealer.  Seems like kerosine in application.
Adds a year of life.  Put on a layer of mildicide first
( a paint additive) and add another year.

Buy pressure-treated wood, say 5-7 years.  Reg wood, 2-4.
Treat wood with copper-green what's-it liek pressure
treated but no pressure and add 2 years but I don't like
this as much and wouldn't mind some comments on it.
It is reccommended for timber touchiong ground as
greenhouse sill plates, and even for uprights where
esthetics aren't an isasue.  I feel the copper leachate
isn't desireable is a bed wall.

Now to curve:
Since the garden is NOT stepped in, the sideward forces are
minimal.  2x12 is 1-1/2 x 10-1/2 but will probably be filled
with loose soil only up to 8 inches.  Any curve will be slight.
Rough sut is less common, but more wood for less money and
therefore thicker. Especially if steps are taken to keep
the wood dry...(hint.)

Resin can be had in gloss or semigloss and like wet wood,
looks nice.  Try to spread this or roll it twice when
hardening is starting to occut and little spikes form,
causing it not to be smooth.  This isn't nice, tho is
not a problem except it can scratch you like sandpaper.
A pain to top-sand anything, so just don't overwork it.

Jeff Ball's hoop/tunnel setup for this type deal (4'x12')
is really nice and easy.  (60 Minute Garden.)

Curios where Mel is, since I'm in California too.
Margaret L.  Can you give me a ring? Lost yr addy.
Bill
OOWON@Netscape.net
IM An0minity...That's a zer0.

PS:  Greenhouses anyone?  To include Coldframes?

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