[nbo10]

A couple question. I'm looking into using ponderosa pine for a few projects. I've been emailing a lumber guy back and forth, he mention KD HT 2x12 ponderosa pine. What does the HT stand for?

Has anyone used ponderosa pine for a bench? I was going to use douglas fir, but may ahve enough left over from another project.

Thanks

 

[Steve Neul]

The initials stand for kiln dried heat treated 2x12 ponderosa pine. They heat treat pine to break up the sugars in the wood so fungus doesn't attack it so bad. It means nothing for what you intend. Personally I think the wood is too soft for a bench top. I have one that is made out of yellow pine I think is a little soft. You might be better off just using plywood.

 

[jschaben]

I just used plain ol pine studs for the legs and frame, top is a couple of thicknesses of OSB topped with 1/4" hardboard.
That was for the workbench part... no idea what the "projects" are you were talking about.

 

[cabinetman]

IMO, Ponderosa pine would be too soft for a bench. The KD-HT is kiln dried, heat treated. Heat treatment is different than kiln dried even though both require heat. The HT is primarily for repackaging materials like crates for overseas shipping, mostly to take care of insect infestation.

.

 

[nbo10]

Does the heat treatment affect the wood's workability or longevity?

 

[Brian T.]

I'd be more concerned about the 2x12 cupping when the bench top is in service. You will never get that thing flat or keep it that way. I agree, Ponderosa is soft but possibly the work that you plan to do would allow you to ignore that.
My 10 yr old bench top is 1/2 dozen 2 x 6 x 8'. Could be spruce, could be pine, could be fir (Abies). Filled the joints with silicone to keep the sawdust rain off the stuff stored underneath. Yes it is soft, dented, cut and cupped. Lots of assorted bolt holes. The top is attached to the frame by gravity.
Awful lot of simple furniture and household repairs has come off that bench. Very bash-worthy.
Mostly wood carving on a skid pad now so the flatness (+/- 0.0000001") matters even less than ever before. Please don't get my sacasm on your shirt.
When I need "flat", I have a dozen cutoffs and sink cutouts from a stone countertop company.

 

[nbo10]

I was thinking of ripping it in 4” x 2” x6' strips and gluing them up to make a 24” wide 4” thick top.

 

[Steve Neul]

Does the heat treatment affect the wood's workability or longevity?

No. If you had both heat treated and non heat treated boards you wouldn't be able to tell them apart. For what you are doing it really doesn't matter. In the event you had a roof leak over your bench the heat treated wood would be less likely to mold.