A few years ago we had some maples cut down, and one of them was left as a 6′ stump which I’ve been slowly carving out to make a seat for the offspring. I had been doing it with an adze which was fun but took ages, now got an Arbortech blade in an angle grinder which is a lot faster.

What’s the best way to treat things like this? It’s still partly alive, growing shoots in several places, but it’s also growing mushrooms and going a bit rotten in others. Take all the bark off and creosote it all? Or leave the outside and just do the inside?

Thanks 😉

diesel is what farmers use to paint stumps with to stop them growing back

I’d use that and then some creosote

as for making it into a seat though…

Cheers – so definitely try to kill it you think?

if you don’t kill it it will always keep sprouting

if you do kill it, it will eventually rot

as for making it into a seat, I think you have to accept it will not last – rot etc will eventually take it’s toll, slower if you use chemicals yes, but would you then want to sit on it?

Do you have a picture of said stump? Easier to come up with ideas if we can see what there is to work with…

I’ll take a pic when it’s light – not too fussed if it sprouts, I can always trim them if they get in the way.

Tung oils what I used on some garden chairs I made from larch.