Things Homeowners Should Know Before Using Pressure Treated Lumber
Wood is one of the most used building materials, but natural wood does have a few problems too. Wood is prone to insect infestation, and while it works wondrously well for interior design and décor needs, wood can rot in presence of moisture. As the name suggests, pressure treated lumber refers to wood that has been treated using pressure, so as to address some of the weaknesses of natural wood. For this, wood is placed in a pressure chamber and is treated with chemicals in a way that these chemicals go deep into the material.
With pressure treated lumber, you don’t have to bother about concerns like fungal growth, moisture damage, rotting, and insect infestation. Some of the chemicals used for pressure-treating wood also make the material resistant to fire. Here’s more on what you need to know.
Is pressure treated lumber safe for my home?
This is often the foremost question that homeowners have in mind. Earlier, wood was treated using chromated copper arsenate (CCA), but it is not in use anymore owing to safety and health concerns. Today, pressure treated lumber is treated with alkaline copper quaternary, sodium borate or other chemicals that are safe for residential projects.
Why consider treated wood as an option?
As we mentioned earlier, natural wood is not ideal for exterior use or for pilings. For projects that demand durability, strength, with resistance to moisture, pressure treated lumber is the ideal option by all means. Now it is important to understand that not all pressure-treated woods are created equal, so some initial is always handy. You will find a number that denotes the chemical retention for the material. If a certain type of wood has a higher number, it simply means that is more resistant to rotting and insects.
Other things to note
It is important to care for pressure treated lumber with annual staining that protects the chemicals. While working with such treated wood, necessary precautions must be taken and dust masks should be used while drilling into the lumber. Also, not all suppliers offer the same quality of timber, so always check for a reliable and known vendor and ask them about the quality of the lumber sold.
If you already have an experienced architect for your project, you can ask them for suggestions as where to use pressure treated lumber effectively. In general, treated lumber can be used for almost any part of the house, including decks.
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