Fossilized tree stumps

[Kenneth C]

I have recently purchased 4 fossilized tree side tables (Which I learned later are for indoor use only) I would like to use as seats around a fire pit. What should I do to prepare them for outdoor use? 

[ynot]

Welcome to TFF!

Those are not petrified wood.

They look like pine firewood rounds.

To treat those apply sealant like You would for any wood product.

[Troodon]

Agree they need to be treated like any other outdoor wood.  They need to be put on a hard well drained surface or may rot.

[Kenneth C]

Thank you for the welcome and the quick response!! I can assure you these are petrified. I was however mistaken they were for indoor use. Is there anything I should do to help protect them from the elements like a sealer?

[ynot]

How much does one weigh? Can You scratch them with Your finger nail?

If they are petrified (turned to stone) then they will not need any preservative.

[caldigger]

If they were petrified stumps, they would have been from the outdoors in the first place and wouldn't be affected by being exposed.

If you look at the top of this one you can see shrinkage along the cracks caused by drying after it was cut.

[Kenneth C]

Each weighs between 250 and 300 lbs. It cannot be scratched with a fingernail.

[ynot]

8 hours ago, Kenneth C said:

Each weighs between 250 and 300 lbs. It cannot be scratched with a fingernail.

That is some amazing preservation on those!

You should not need to do anything to keep them from deteriorating, but they may be affected by freeze / thaw cycles.

[paleoflor]

Looks similar to petrified wood material from Indonesia. If correct, this implies silica-based mineralization - i.e. a relatively inert material. As pointed out by Tony, freeze-thaw cycles may be a considerable concern, depending on your locale. I have seen people use resins/epoxies to fortify porous, fragile petrified wood. Not sure whether this may help keep the water out and so prevent damage from frostheave, however. I tend to keep my plant fossils indoors. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Nobodys55]

Those are beautiful pieces of wood ( from one who has a lot of petrified wood). I agree on the suggestion of bringing indoors. I do the same as I live in the N.W. states. I've had pieces that crumbled after one winter outside. Live & learn the hard way, that's me. Lol

[aplomado]

On 5/3/2018 at 1:59 PM, Nobodys55 said:

Those are beautiful pieces of wood ( from one who has a lot of petrified wood). I agree on the suggestion of bringing indoors. I do the same as I live in the N.W. states. I've had pieces that crumbled after one winter outside. Live & learn the hard way, that's me. Lol

Yeah, if water gets in cracks and freezes it can do all kinds of bad things...