Best timber for insect screen frame?

IanB

I want to make insect screens for an old Victorian house, so I want to make the frames from timber.

They will be fitted to the outside of the window. Some will be under a verandah and some will be fully exposed to the weather.

What is the best timber to use for this?

Jewelleryrescue

Hi @IanB 

I like cedar for this roll as it is easy to work with and light weight and is of that houses period.

But rare to get and  expensive so I would  be taping into recycled timber  places and  recycling house  shops and you be pick up  bargins in gumtree.

As you are recycling and remaking the  frames it dosnt matter if you get an old half damaged   piece of  wood you can trim the good bits out of it.

I would also  contact building firms in your area and get chummy  with  them as they are the ones that do the house dismanteling before house rebuilding  so you can get in on the ground floor before  the massive  prices at recycled wood and house parts  shops.

We  used to go into  country areas and some times buy loads of  bricks as we needed and cleaning up their site they almost paid us to do it.

Consider the timber in old  furniture like old  church pews and bed frames it might be just what you want.

The windows where  of reasonably uniform size  back then you might be able to pick up  a few frames intact

There are other timber types  too.

But if you are  painting them  just use  pine sealed  with  paint with the old fashion router mouldings would be the way to go.

Have fun in you project.