I am with you brother. I could not fork out the cash for cedar either. I ended up going with regular pine 2x6x8s and treating them with this nontoxic wood preservative created by the USFS. I built them in February and they still look new and bead water well. Its been raining like crazy in NC too.

Here is a link that might be useful: Non-toxic wood perservative

Old growth cedar and redwood have the properties to last. The young stuff, not so much. Consider yourself lucky that someone was honest with you.

Dan

I have untreated wood, none are cedar or redwood, which are over 8yrs old now.

Do yourself a favor and search the forum, there are many posts on just this topic. How long will wood last or building frames.

I have put many together for less than $3/box plus screws.

Good Luck

I have untreated wood, none are cedar or redwood, which are over 8yrs old now.

Do yourself a favor and search the forum, there are many posts on just this topic. How long will wood last or building frames.

I have put many together for less than $3/box plus screws.

Good Luck

Not to be an alarmist, but I absolutely wouldn't use boiled linseed oil on anything that would come in contact with my food. Raw linseed oil (flax seed oil) is fine, but boiled linseed oil contains various heavy metals that speed the drying time (raw linseed oil can take weeks to dry).

http://missouribootandshoe.tripod.com/id41.html

"Use of this product will expose you to arsenic, beryllium, chromium, cadmium and nickel, which are known to cause cancer; and lead which is known to cause birth defects and other reproductive harm."

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