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Spruce 4x4 not strong enough?

Submitted by DirtSquirt on Tue, 08/30/2011 - 17:05

I have been trying to find 4x4s to build a bed. I am basically building a double sized farmhouse bed but extending the legs to turn it into a loft bed. I am having an impossible time finding 4x4s that are untreated and not cedar. I did find a place that can order in some untreated spruce 4x4s but he is telling me that spruce wood is not strong enough for the application that I want it for. He says that gluing 2 2x4s together would be even worse. The only other wood that I can find is fir which is $10/foot! That would make the bed crazy expensive to build as the posts alone would cost $240.

Anyone have any thoughts on the strength and durability of spruce 4x4s?

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claydowling

Wed, 08/31/2011 - 04:17

Spruce is almost certainly strong enough. The method you use to attach the legs to the bed is the biggest factor in strength.

As to the cost, unless prices have really shot up in the last year, you should be able to buy an 8' 4x4 douglas fir post for $10. Not $10/foot, just $10.

DirtSquirt

Wed, 09/07/2011 - 23:02

Not sure what happened to the reply I thought I posted.

Wish I lived where you live, because they are definitely selling it for $10 PER FOOT here! Can't find it at any other store to compare prices either.

Finally found some untreated spruce 4x4s but had to go through to lifts worth in order to find two 16' 4x4s that weren't in awful shape. Got them home and they both cracked and split. I have screwed and glued them back together so I hope they work! Only $14 each though so even if I have to replace them later, I just saved myself $212.