I am considering building a little archway at my porch entrance, for my vines to grow on. And I was considering how I would seal the wood that I would stick in the ground to prevent it from rotting. Then I hear about pressure-treated lumber. It's like magic. But magic from an evil witch since it is so toxic and poisonous. I've done a little research on this and here's a few facts I have found.
The American Wood Preserver's Association list these catagories:
Use Category Brief
Description
UC1 Interior Dry
UC2 Interior
Damp
UC3A Exterior Above
Ground, Coated with Rapid Water Runoff
UC3B Exterior Above
Ground, Uncoated or Poor Water Runoff
UC4A Ground
Contact, General Use
UC4B Ground
Contact, Heavy Duty
UC4C Ground Contact,
Extreme Duty
UC5A Marine Use,
Northern Waters (Salt or Brackish Water)
UC5B Marine Use,
Central Waters (Salt or Brackish Water)
UC5C Marine Use,
Southern Waters (Salt or Brackish Water)
UCFA Interior Above
Ground Fire Protection
UCFB Exterior Above
Ground Fire Protection
Who would have thought! Again I wonder where my mind has been when visiting the beach and the piers, not to really find out what kind of wood is used to build piers! Right?!
From what I can tell you can work this wood like most any other standard lumber except there are some precautions. And that is what I will share since it seems to be pretty darn important if you consider using.
TIP # 1 -
Cut pressure-treated wood outside if possible, and use respiratory protection, such as a face mask or respirator with a filter. Use work gloves to avoid splinters. Splinters from pressure-treated wood can become infected. Some people may experience an allergic reaction to direct skin contact or splintering.
TIP #2 - This one is sort of scary when you think about it.
Follow manufacturer's instructions for using materials. Avoid using pressure-treated wood in any applications where it would come into contact with food, such as in raised garden beds, or for building compost piles. Do not use pressure-treated wood for applications where drinking water or animal feed may become contaminated.
TIP #3 -
Try to collect as much of the sawdust as possible for disposal. If possible, do most of your cutting in a specified location, and lay a heavy disposable plastic tarp under your saws or sawhorses. Use of a tarp is especially valuable if you must cut in an area that you cannot easily sweep, such as a lawn. This is a cleanup time saver you can use anytime.
TIP #4 -
Pressure-treated wood should not be burned except by professionals, just like painted or finished wood, plywood and particleboard. It doesn't appear that the smoke is toxic but the ash is because the arsenic does not burn off. (again - scary)
Do not use pressure-treated wood for making cutting boards, or for any food preparation surface. Picnic tables made of pressure-treated wood have become common, and are fine for the purpose they were intended, but not to prepare food on.
TIP #6 -
A certain amount of PT preservative will leach to the surface of the wood over time. Applying a coating every year of two (once the rain stops beading) greatly lessens the amount of preservative that leaches to the surface. Applying a preservative slows drying and inhibits shrinkage and maintain a smoother surface to the wood. Coating will help protect from mold, mildew and the effects of hard sun exposure.
With all this in mind, I will continue to shop for supplies and see just how much difference there is in the cost and decide if it is worth using the pressure treated lumber.
Check back and see my progress.
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