chestnut

[Joy Yeomans]

i know sweet chestnut has great qualities for outdoor use, high tanin levels etc - is horse chestnut any good for milling, got some large pieces would be easier to mill than chog into bits for firewood, any ideas welcome please, putting a match to it seems a waste.

thanks

joy

[agg221]

Horse chestnut is, in general, useless as timber. It's not durable, has no colour or figure to speak of, is too soft and spongy to take regular use and the grain is too coarse and stringy to get a good finish.

 

As such, burning it is about the best use I'm afraid.

 

Sorry!

 

Alec

[Graham]

As the saw blade comes to the end of the log the other end will have started to decay:001_smile:

[Joy Yeomans]

well you have all backed up hubbies opinion - i just thought id canvas some arbtalkers opinions

thanks

joy

[flames]

hi, mostly I agree with all the above, but horse chestnut can, if treated correctly, produce some stunning results... with the use of some dye wash, normally blue, and a high gloss lacquer, will look amazing, particularly if the timber is a bit gnarly, -bland looking timber is transformed!