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Cubby house timber quality check

Hi Bunnings Workshop community

I bought a cubby house to assemble recently.

I opened the boxes and was surprised to see significant cracks in some of the main timber parts, and filler used to patch long gaps sections (made by factory cuts maybe).

Just want to get some opinions on whether this wood is of sufficient quality / safe, and if it might survive the varying weather in Melbourne. Wondering whether to push for a refund/replacement or just assemble it.

Thanks

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MitchellMc

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @bornToDIY. It's sensational to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about timber.

Those are what I'd consider structural cracks that run the length of timber and not hairline cracks that can be ignored. If this were one of our cubby houses, especially a two-storey one, I'd refund it for the customer as it raises safety concerns. I'd suggest reaching out to the manufacturer.

Let me mention a couple of our knowledgeable members @TedBear and @Jewelleryrescue to get their opinions.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

TedBear

Hi @bornToDIY

I agree 100% with @MitchellMc on this.

Under Australian Consumer Laws products have to be fit for purpose and in any case you have every right to complain about the quality from information placed on the suppliers website:

" Quality is assured thanks to the premium treated timber construction. The floor, wall and roof material are solid high temperature treated timber with UV protection. For your peace of mind there are no sharp edges."

Those cracks supply sharp edges that will only get worse with time, and will make it unsafe - and therefore not fit for purpose.

Noyade

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/24607#Comment_24607

Hi @bornToDIY

I'm with the learned gentlemen above, unless - if it's only the five pieces you've shown us - can we simply replace them with better quality wood?

Maybe send your photos to the company - and get five replacement pieces?

Or is there much more?

They seem to be numbered "20."

Where are they situated on the house?

Total weight of the packaged kit is only 91kg?

Jewelleryrescue

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/74950#Comment_74950

Hi @bornToDIY and All

Firstly sorry you got that lemon of a tree lumber I hope you bought it on the special price

Yes those timbers not fit to be firewood If it was my kids cubby house I would replace the all main structual posts and cross beams and /or work out the replacement cost of fair and reasonable replacement timbers EG $500

You are entilted to full refund on a sale item to. But then you will have to pony up $300?? transport cost for return all that wieght 91kg as @Noyade says and length and the hassle of packing it all up. If you used a credit card talk to them often they have addition support for purchases too that may help.

They giving huge discount they know item is low quality so they are expecting your call. So why dont you switch it around on them by asking for a $500 bonus discount (no refund) as no way do they want that to come back to them what will they do with that?

So you get $500 to replace timber will bunnings wood you get a rock solid cubby as you wanted and you dont have return shipment hassles

Maybe work out which timbers and sizes are suspect and @MitchellMc can help get a quote together

bornToDIY

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/101147#Comment_101147

Thanks very much @Jewelleryrescue @Noyade @TedBear @MitchellMc

Yes, the total weight is 91kg.

There are 6 pieces of timber with cracks/filler and they are all load bearing posts.

Yes, would really appreciate a quote to replace these 6 pieces, so here are the details:

4 of them (90cm x 6 x 6) support the second story of the house from base, and 2 others (126cm x 6 x 6 with triangle cut on one end) support the front verandah roof. (Here is the assembly manual - the affected parts are "20" and "29").

The affected parts all look like they've been channel-cut in the middle of one surface and then patched/filled - I'm not sure if they cut it deliberately for some reason - thoughts?

Thanks!

Jewelleryrescue

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/117506#Comment_117506

Hi @bornToDIY

First to answer your question re the timber is poor quality pieces and have being naturally spliting and they probably chiseled out the bad splits and filled them possible old saw dust and some poor glue to try and make them look whole good pieces usually these are painted over to hide there cover up. But lucky for your childrens well being you questioned the wood quality.

In Australia there is much timber made from cut and joined timber off cuts and pre painted and the quaility is still A1 .

Ok costing the short of it the treated timber replacemrnt timber is in the close ball park of $220. So put in a claim for $300 as you will need a high quality insect resisting weather proof under coat especially where timbers touch the ground. I would highly consider placing ready made cement pads/ squares under the points any timber touches the ground .

Your claim to date to the suppliers is $300 refund or they take a full refund. And tell them the poor quaility is risking Aussie kids and the Gov could ban there sales in OZ. Ok a little devious but no more than they deserves.

My proposed (below) Timber size is a slightly larger dimention 88mm square vs 60mm square of your original timber. this wont be a problem or alter design just fatter stronger legs,

Now if you will note: the ONIGINAL veranda post is two pieces (easier shipping) BUT We can cut one whole full length post instead ie (90cm(Base stump) + 126cm (Triangle end) = one post 216cm combining those two lenghts. will save cutting work and make design stronger.

Now i propose purchasing two lengths of treated pine 3.6m long out of which we can get the replacemrnt 6 timbers in need of replacing but the verandah post dosnt need 2 pieces so now we only need 4 replacement timbers. See drawing.

In the drawing shows one length of timber 3,6 m (you will need 2x3,6 meter posts to cut 2 sets of timbers,) the drawing it shows the two cuts you need to makeone set then do a duplicate set of cuts on 2nd post.

Easiest way is to get your replacement timber post lay it on ground or saw horse. Place the 90cm part and the 126 triangle part on the raw material end to end and trace draw the angled off cut onto the post and cut it at same angle, this will give you a whole and complete front veranda post with no joins this is a stronger design. Next lay the 90cm part on the end of the first raw material and draw a line and cut it the same size. Repeat for 2nd veranda and other base post. And a minimal waste off cut.

a timber.jpg

Now also in the diagram shows where to connect the joining original timber braces on the inside corner edges. Please dont use outside corner edges as this will throw of all your other precut peices fitting properly

I would under coat and paint all timbers before you assemble them so you get the maximum life out of you new cubby. This is a pain but totally worth doing.

Bunnings timber options @MitchellMc and others maybe able to provide alternatives and add design input to make this even better.

Bunnings H4 timber 2x In8423176 Treated timber 3.6Meter 88x88mm square $105

Bunnings H3 preprimed IN0052827 Treated timber 3.6 Meters 88x88 square $108.45

Good luck hope this helps.

MitchellMc

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/117506#Comment_117506

Hi @bornToDIY,

I am unaware of any equivalent products apart from the alternative 88 x88 LSOP posts that @Jewelleryrescue mentioned above.

Mitchell

Noyade

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/117506#Comment_117506

Morning @bornToDIY

Apologies for my eyesight - I will see my optometrist later this year.

I thought with your first photos they were small battens with fissures down the centre - and maybe they were just trimming for the windows.

But your most recent post/photo puts a better perspective on the problem. These are load bearing timbers 90mm X 90mm that were defective and the manufacturer has attempted to deceive the customer by trenching the affected area, filling and painting. There is so much filler - that as it dried it contracted creating a fissure (which I thought was the wood). By playing with the monitor screen and getting 90mm to fit the ruler - the trenching appears to be around 10mm wide and up to 15mm deep. I don't know if you have contacted the company (I note the link to the supplier has now been removed from your introductory post) but if you had no success with them - I would be going to Fair Trading and pushing for a full refund.

https://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/

WOW! WOW!

bornToDIY

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/126982#Comment_126982

Hi guys

Thanks for the advice (and diagrams!). I ended up getting a partial refund from the vendor, and bought some new, better, thicker posts for the base from Bunnings as @Jewelleryrescue suggested. I cut them into 4 and I've assembled the bottom half of the cubby house.

Now I want to build the top half and have a thicker verandah post if possible.

@Jewelleryrescuewrote:

"Now if you will note: the ORIGINAL veranda post is two pieces (easier shipping) BUT We can cut one whole full length post instead ie (90cm(Base stump) + 126cm (Triangle end) = one post 216cm combining those two lengths. will save cutting work and make design stronger."

Hi @MitchellMc , would Bunnings Chadstone do a triangle cut of the post I choose for the verandah? Do I just need to ask them in the store?

Thanks!

Jewelleryrescue

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/133668#Comment_133668

Hi all

I being on the tools working during the cooler monthes trying to complete projects and starting new ones before the summer heat.

I should upload photos later..

Mean while @bornToDIY great work on partial refund.

Your cutting the timber to the original cubby plan just with thicker posts so thats great.

Bunnings understandably will only do basic cross cuts square as a guide so make sure they are cut longer than you plan requires to allow for an angled off cut.

But this is a time for your skills to grow @bornToDIY using a basic flat bladed long carpenters saw you can cut it your self at the correct angle near perfectly.

Power saw not required I still frequently use hand tools like saws too so much easier for one of cuts.. So simple too just pick them up and saw away. But I use a sharp chain saw for the thicker posts as a time saver for multiple cuts. but NOT for a novice DIyer as Chain saw needs precise control on such a cut as not to ruin it.

If you have the old original post is is a simple matter to lay it onto the new timber and draw the angle on the new post and cut yourself.

Or while the angled original timber is laying on the new post clamp the timbers together and run the saw blade along the angle cutting the same angle using old post as a saw guide. (Note if your angle cuts are not prefect in angle or smooth there is not a problem really so dont fret it simply use some outdoor gap filler on post top where it joins the roof to hide the imperfections we all have those days. The strength of the structure wont be diminished.

Make sure the butts of the timber are flush with each other before you cut other wise the post will be wrong length.

Plan z if you dont have the original posts to get the angles Simple lay two uprights on a flat ground parrallel (measure this) Lay them out spaced the same distance as to ground posts with the butts at same level ( lay them out on your drive way as it might have staight line to put butts too). Now use two timbers to mimic the roof angles while on the ground and draw them onto the timber your want to cut.

Basically you are creating a full size mock up 1:1 of the cubby on the ground on its side to get angles. Now you have post angle for the other 2 corner posts and the two wall mid posts .

EricL

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/133668#Comment_133668

Hi @bornToDIY

I'm sorry but the shop saws can only do straight cuts and not angled cuts. I'm in agreement with @Jewelleryrescue, this would be an excellent opportunity to improve your D.I.Y skills by cutting the timber yourself. My best suggestion would be to do some practice cuts on some off cut timber so that you'll have a feel of how to cut at an angle.

Let me call on our experienced members @Dave-1 and @JoeAzza for their recommendations.

Please remember to wear personal protection such as gloves, goggles and a mask when working on your project.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

Dave-1

Good Morning @bornToDIY

I was looking at your issue yesterday and what a pain for a company to try.

A couiple of questions and maybe an easy answer.

Do you still have the original timbers with the angle that sits near the roof?

Do you have a handsaw? Or Circular saw? Or a Drop saw (potentially the easiest buut the most expensive tool to have)

I would buy some pine lengths from bunnings that match the length needed then (after a few practice cuts as @EricL suggested ) Have a go at an angled cut.

-Its treated pine so it wont be super hard to saw.

-If you use the orginal piece to mark out on the new piece you will see what needs to be done. (If you dont have it we can guestimate it)

So on the length of post you purchase, cut the angled piece first, that way if something goes wrong you can try again before getting the overall length with a straight cut.

- Once you have marked the new post whith the old post I would suggest to set your circular saw to its max depth cut and do one side

- Flip the timber over and cut the other side. Your cuts should meet up and if you are lucky cut through the whole thing. If not then your hand saw comes into play for the last bit in the middle.

- You can use a hand saw to cut the whole depth if dont want to use a circular saw. Workout and a half if you are not use to sawing but satisfying when done 🙂 (also its going to be pine so an easy timber to saw through.)

01 angle timber.jpg 02 angle timber.jpg 03 angle timber.jpg 04 angle timber.jpg

The highlighted bit in pink is the part you will half cut through and then flip to cut the other side. There is an adjustment depth on the top of the coping of the circular saw if you look around at it. Some kind of butterfly nut which will lower the base plate or raise it depending on how deep you want to cut something.

Dave

bornToDIY

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/30144#Comment_30144

Thanks again for the advice!

I ended up just using the posts I had to hold the front part of the roof up - less hassle.

Before I drill them into the roof, I'd like to know what I should use to waterproof the space where upper post joins with the lower post (see photo).

I don't want any water to get in and sit there.

A friend said I could use this in between the posts: https://www.bunnings.com.au/bondall-1l-monocel-in-ground-timber-protector_p0039110

Are there any other methods or products you recommend for waterproofing between the posts, or in general?

I have read this thread too. I'm thinking of buying a tarp.

Cheers

Dave-1

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/78862#Comment_78862

Good Morning @bornToDIY

Nice work 🙂 Your friend is right you could use that inground timber protection but it could look pretty messy up there plus you may find you cant paint over it. The timber slats for the roof will protect the posts as much as the rest of the cubby house. Id probarly give 3 or 4 coats of exterior paint to the top of the posts to seal it more then use the black protector.

Is the timber slats like a toung and groove? And what are you painting the roof with?

Dave

MitchellMc

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/78862#Comment_78862

Hi @bornToDIY,

As mentioned by @Dave-1, a few coats of paint should do the job.

Mitchell

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