Questions tagged [pressure-treated]
Wood that has been treated to resist rot and insects, and thus can be used outdoors. Use in conjunction with questions about the wood and its uses. Please include any relevant project tags as well (such as [fence] or [deck])
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What lumber should I use for framing a ground level deck, and where should I source it? [closed]
I’m building a ground level deck in San Diego and trying to source suitable framing lumber. I understand that ground contact rated pressure treated lumber is required, but I’m under the impression ...
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Should I let pressure treated lumber dry before building with it?
I bought some treated 2x4s from Lowes, and they were fairly wet and heavy. I went ahead and built a firewood rack, but screwing into it releases a lot of water. It got me thinking, is it better to ...
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Can I use old fence boards for building raised garden vegetable beds?
I'm in the process of replacing an old fence and I want to reuse the fence boards and posts to build some vegetable beds.
I've read online that the type of wood is important for veg beds, as older ...
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Can pressure treated wood be buried in concrete?
I was planning a relatively simple, 6x8ft "2-post" pavilion, just a small structure to provide protection to a small bench.
This design would require to bury the wood into the concrete ...
CommunityBot
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Should I Let my PT Fence Dry Before Installing
I'm installing 300+ LF of fence in the next month or so and am getting ready to start ordering my materials.
My main question is should I dry out my PT lumber before installing, posts rails and ...
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Building shower curb directly on concrete
I am getting ready to remodel my basement shower and wanted to get everyone's input on building up the shower curb.
My shower is located in the basement where the floor is concrete. My concern was ...
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I'm using 2x12 for steps. At 4 feet, do I need a center support?
I'm using 2x12 for steps. At 4 feet, do I need a center support?
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How long will a treated post last in the ground?
The power company says I can put my permanent service entrance on a 6" x 6" pressure treated post. My friend suggested I consider a metal post sunk in concrete, for greater longevity.
How long should ...
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Should bottom wall plates in a basement be treated lumber?
Question for those who are well versed in framing and then maybe some code as well. I got into a discussion the other day between a couple other trades, they were suggesting I was wasting my time ...
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Can I combine 2x4 lumber to build posts for barn?
Designing a barn/out-building for my off-grid place. Essentially this is an open structure (think of sticks with a roof), but part of which is a shed. The problem is, the longer poles will need to be ...
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Is it normal for pressure-treated lumber to warp?
I recently bought some pressure treated yellow pine for building some window boxes. After building them, I sealed them with a product that would protect the wood for 3-4 years, according to the can. ...
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Best stain for a deck made of pressure treated wood
We recently got our deck redone with new planks of pressure-treated wood. We were advised by the contractor to give the planks 6 months before staining. It's time now. We live in central Indiana. The ...
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Galvanized nails for ACQ treated lumber = must be hot dipped, or not?
We're having some construction done requiring treated soleplates on concrete slab.
As such, galvanized nails were used. However, they don't appear to be hot-dipped. My understanding (going back ...
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Is there a test to determine if a nail is galvanized or not?
I bought a nailer which came with some old nails that I'm going to use for a shed floor into pressure treated wood.
As you can see, they kinda look galvanized. They have that grey patina. But other ...
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Is this pressure treated wood safe? [closed]
I just heard that Pressure Treated wood is not safe and can increase the risk of cancer.
I am a DIYer, and very new to the field.
once I heard that I started googling and apparently there are ...
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Pressure treated plywood sold as exterior-rated but stamped as exposure 1 - safe to use for outdoor deck/roof?
I bought this plywood and it came very wet so I don't doubt that it is actually GC treated plywood; however, the stamp on it says exposure 1 despite Home Depot's website saying it's exterior rated. I'...
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How deep in ground should I install 4x4 PT fence posts?
I'm installing some 4x4 Pressure Treated 8' Tall Fence Posts for a chicken run. I want to have at least 7' tall fence, and am wondering if the 1' sunken depth is adequate. I have read conflicting ...
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Should GC "Exposure 1" 3/4-in plywood be let to dry before screwing down as a deck / flat roof?
I'm wondering if shrinkage or warping will be a concern here such that I should let it dry first. It'll be covered by 30lb roofing felt, then roll roofing, then that sealed with Henry's 884 and 887 ...
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Patio roof posts are deforming
A few weeks ago, I replaced my rotten patio roof posts with pressure treated 4x4s.
Now, they are starting to deform. One bent in a U-shape, the other one is bending like an accordion under the weight.
...
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Post protector (or something else) to extend life of existing deck 4x4 posts?
I'm resurfacing a deck. It was built 19-20 years ago. Had an inspection and was recommended to replace 4x4 direct-bury posts with 6x6 with concrete piers/footings. This work isn't as simple as ...
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Latex paint or oil paint for pressure treated wood outdoors
I recently bought some fence panels like the ones shown here:
It is my intention to paint them white. However I am finding it difficult to get consistent information on best practice.
As far as I ...
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Treehouse ladder - 12ft and corrosion resistant from pressure treated wood?
I'm designing an elevated deck/swingset combo and am trying to figure out how I'm going to build the ladder.
But I've got a couple of challenges. One is that the main posts will be ground-contact ...
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Pressure Treated wood joists rotten or just aged
The contractor I hired is using these PT Douglas Fir joists. They look old. he says they are structurally sound just discolored. I took a screwdriver and poked the joist and it did not sink in at all. ...
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Cement vs pressure treated lumber porch [closed]
I'm looking to build an enclosed porch between two doors on the side of my house, and I've had contractors opt to either use a 12" concrete slab, or concrete/helical piles with pressure treated ...
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Should cut ends of pressure-treated lumber be treated again for ground contact?
There are a lot of paint-on products for treating the cut ends of pressure-treated lumber. However all of the products that I can find are rated for above-ground use only.
PT lumber comes in "...
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Should I let 2x4 pressure treated sleepers for composite deck warp/weather/dry before install
I am going to install composite decking on pressure treated 2x4 sleepers. The composite decking is attached via clips that slide in a groove of the composite decking. The clips only screw into the ...
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Will wood glue hold on pressure treated lumber for exterior barn doors?
I have a bunch of 5/4” x 6” x 8’ severe weather pressure treated boards from Lowe’s and was going to wood glue them together and then trim it out with 3/4” x 4” pressure treated wood boards I have. I ...
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Best way to suspend beam end from cable
I'm about to buy hardware for a treehouse project, and am wondering about the best way to attach 3/8' galvanized cables to a 4x10 PT beam. The cables need to be attached near the ends of the beam to ...
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How to treat wood to use in a deck
I'd like to build a small (6'x8') floating deck for my yard. The deck would be resting on gravel. Ideally I'd like to use pressure treated wood, but a few of the pieces will need cuts, and my local ...
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Glue or fill crack in pressure treated post?
I installed this 6x6 pressure treated post last year. The only load on it is a hammock. It has developed a large split. Should I use an exterior wood filler to fill it, or waterproof wood glue and ...
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OK to forego vapor barrier under concrete slab if pressure-treated sill plate is used along with sill gasket?
Is it OK to forego installing a vapor barrier beneath a concrete slab (garden shed foundation) under the following set of circumstances?
there will never be any flooring material placed on the slab ...
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Waiting a year before applying semi-solid stain to new treated pine deck?
We had a new pressure-treated pine deck installed about six months ago.
I know the wood has aged/dried enough to take a semi-ttransparent stain.
But we prefer the appearance of a semi-solid stain like ...
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Are metal anchors or buried posts better for 6 x 6 posts for a pavilion?
I'm trying to figure out the best way to set 6 x 6 posts for a pavilion. I'm considering the two methods below. I know they both have their good and bad points. I believe the first will extend the ...
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Will salty water from ice melt harm a wooden porch?
I rebuilt our covered porch out of pressure treated lumber a couple of summers ago. This past summer, we retreated it with Thompson's Water Seal. It's now winter, and we've actually had a cold spell ...
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Will pressure-treated lumber shrink enough to cause failure of roof flashing around it?
We need to replace the flat roof on our balcony deck. In the process we also need to replace the balcony deck railing.
The salesman for our contractor recommended a wooden railing to match what we ...
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Should I put a moisture barrier between a single ply of pressure treated (PT) plywood and a second non-PT ply when constructing a shed?
I am building a shed. The floor consists of 4x4 PT runners, 2x8 PT girders, and 3/4" PT Plywood flooring.
Anytime in the past, when I have laid PT lumber next to non-PT lumber, there is mold/...
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Why is my new pine fence turning black? Can I stain right over it without creating a bigger future headache?
We put in a new pine fence about 2-3 months ago.
(Southern Yellow Pine, from Lowes. They called it “Severe Weather Pressure Treated Pine”)
I have been trying to stain/seal it for the past month and a ...
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Galvanized fasteners into exterior concrete - good enough for 20+ years? Or stainless?
Planning to attach pressure treated wood sleepers to a concrete patio and put deck boards over them.
I'm trying to decide on what fastener material is best to attach the sleepers to the concrete.
This ...
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How to make pressure treated wood look old quickly
We are adding a porch onto our old tobacco barn and are using pressure treated lumber.
We started in July to prepare for my daughter's outdoor wedding in late October. I would like for the porch wood ...
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White mold or fungus on PT lumber
I'm building a wooden fence and have a number of 4x4 pressure treated lumber stacked neatly in my garage. I've been pulling posts from the stack as I work on the fence over the last 4 weeks. When I ...
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How can I quickly seal wet pressure-treated plywood?
I am replacing the floor in my camper and want to use 3/4" pressure-treated plywood but I want to apply some water sealer before I lay it down. Is there a way I can do this without waiting a lengthy ...
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Painting Pressure Treated Wood | Outdoor Steps Application
I am needing to rebuild some stairs (3 steps), and the previous owner has a great colour scheme going on the house, and I want to maintain that. Now, my wife and I like to do builds/projects that are ...
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replacing pressure treated 1x4 boards on roof with non-pressure treated white pine - OK?
On an 85 year old house there are pressure treated 1x4s running horizontally across the rafters, and the plywood sheathing is laid on top of those 1x4s.
I have to replace some of these 1x4s but there ...
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How can I build a long lasting low maintenance fence?
I'm needing to replace a blown down fence, and have been seeking advice and quotes from fencing contractors. There seem to be two conflicting schools of thought.
One contractor advises that using ...
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Can stainless steel or galvinized screws be used indoors on non-pressure treated wood?
I assume yes and there is no harm or downside, besides these screws being more expensive than non-coated screws.
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Best way to make sturdy Fence post for aluminum sign?
I'm looking at putting some posts up for No-Smoking signs at a local club frequented by a couple hundred kids a weekend + their families. One guy recommended Treated lumber, but I heard it'll eat ...
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How do I protect the front side of a wood retaining wall?
I have a wood retaining wall made of 3x12 pressure-treated boards similar to the one pictured here.
The backside has MiraDrain and 3/4" drainage rock. I have an excess of earth to manage and one ...
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Are pressure-treated posts that have been submerged for a few days ruined?
I dug holes for four 8' 4x4 posts, and had the posts positioned and plumbed vertically in the holes, but had to leave for a couple days before I could concrete them in.
In the meantime, storms came ...
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Will 2x4 remain straight?
I was able to straighten a slightly warped 10-foot piece of pressure-treated wood with clamps.
Will it warp again? If so, is there anything I can do so that it doesn’t warp?
This 2x4 is being used ...
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