Strength of worktop used as board

[bsr]

Hello

I am thinking of making stall bars for use at home.
https://www.amazon.com/ARTIMEX-Swedish-Physical-Therapy-Gymnastics/dp/B00CK6W5KA

You can see the uprights in that model are made from a board made out of narrow staves, similar to a hardwood worktop. I have some 40mm thick solid oak worktop
Nothing special, just the usual stuff from Worktop Express. Is that suitable to use as timber? If I cut a 90mm strip will it be as strong as 4x2 oak? I know in theory the glue is stronger than the wood but it doesn't always work like that in practice!

Thanks

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Normally worktop staves are shorter than the 7 to 8 feet that you'll need for your uprights and any end grain to end grain glue joints will never be as strong as straight grain joints. Additionally, a 38mm thick laminated piece won't be as strong as a 50mm thick piece. I also doubt that the glues used in worktop production are anywhere near as strong as those used to manufacture glue lam beams (not all glues are equal). So if you need 4 x 2 in (100 x 50mm) finished, unless your worktop is made from full length staves I'd suggest that it would be safer to obtain new timber of the correct dimensions

 

[bsr]

Thanks. I believe 4x2 PAR is about 90mm x 40mm hence saying 90mm.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

PAR (planed all round) or PSE (planed square edged) mean pretty much the same, but those terms are normally only applicable to softwoods. Hardwoods are almost universally sold rough sawn and prepared to size by the purchaser. If specifying a finished size on hardwoods 1/4 or 1/2 in has to be added to the cross sectional dimension to accommodate conversion wastage. Some (and I emphasise some) merchants like English Hardwoods, offer a limited range of planed sizes or alternatively they may offer a machined to order service or be able to put you in touch with a local joinery shop to do the work for you. Be aware that this can often add 2 to 3 days or more to the delivery time scale.

 

[bsr]

OK thanks. I think your key point is that you wouldn't trust worktop glue joints, as opposed to a glue lam piece.

I'll stick to redwood. 2m lengths of hardwood are over my budget for this piece.