what wood?

[Barquito]

I am going to add wood handrails inside my cabin. The cabin-top rails are irregular sized, so I can't buy them off the shelf. I am fine with making them in the shop to match the exterior dimensions. Question: what wood should I use that is not as expensive at teak?

[CharlieCobra]

Iroko or Mahogany works well. I've heard Ipe is good too but don't have personal experience with it.

[ccriders]

Originally Posted by CharlieCobra

Iroko or Mahogany works well. I've heard Ipe is good too but don't have personal experience with it.

What about poplar? It has long straight compact grain, can be stained pretty much any tone you want. It is readily available and is not too expensive.
John

[CharlieCobra]

It's a marine environment, even inside. It has to be a rot resistant wood or you'll be doing it again soon.

[pedcab]

kambala? oak? mahogany, as previously said...

[copacabana]

Ipê is great, looks nice and lasts forever, but I'm not sure how cheap it is in the US.

[Barquito]

Thanks for the ideas. I'm not much a woodworker, but I assume that if I have never heard of some of these species, they are probably expensive here.

[Siamese]

Ash

[Jeff_H]

To some extent it depends on how you plan to finish the grab rails. They need to be sturdy and hold a finish well.

If you are looking for a light colored wood that you plan to varnish, I would use white oak. Ash is also a good choice. Hickory, (while visually an aquired taste) is a tough wood (used a lot for tool handles). If you are looking for a darker wood, I would use Spanish Cedar or Mahogany (ideally 5/4 stock).

Ipe is readily available in the U.S. for outdoor decking, and is way less expensive than teak, but teak and Ipe do not hold finishes all that well. I personally don't like Ipe for that kind of application.

Poplar is not all that strong and would need to be epoxy sealed to prevent rot and then get painted.

Jeff

[PBzeer]

I've used oak in my interior with good results. Adds a nice contrast to the dark teak.