How good is pressure-treated wood for your fence or deck? Find out here!
These days, it seems like almost all building materials have been hard to come by. If you had planned a home improvement project recently, especially an outdoor one like installing a fence, you may even have put it on the back burner because you heard how expensive lumber became. Thankfully, those times seem to be getting better, so if you’re thinking about doing a project this spring requiring wood, you should start doing your research now. Read on to learn all about pressure-treated lumber.
What Does Pressure-Treated Even Mean?
Pressure-treated wood is specially preserved with chemicals. The process of pressure-treating involves putting the wood in a depressurized tank that removes the air from within the wood and replaces it with preservative chemicals. This treatment aims to protect the wood from rot and insects, making it last much longer than non-treated wood. Pressure-treating does not prevent weathering and corrosion, so it does not look particularly different from regular wood.
What Are the Options With Pressure-Treated Wood?
There are different pressure-treating chemicals, including borate, Alkaline Copper Quat, and non-combustible treatments. Most pressure-treated wood is not graded, and all are for construction (not appearance), except plywood which can be ACX or CDX. Most pressure-treated wood is only for framing, even on outdoor projects such as decks.
How Does It Compare To Regular Wood?
Pressure-treating is a process that makes the wood last much longer than it would naturally. Pressure-treated wood, unlike other types, is only for outdoor applications. It is not stronger than regular wood, but it will resist rot longer, which often translates to it being more expensive. For the most part, pressure-treated wood does not need painting, and in fact, it should usually not be. Pressure-treated wood shrinks over time, contracting from the pressure-treating process, and it will eventually shed the paint.
What Projects Need Pressure-Treated Lumber?
Outdoor projects requiring wood framing will often benefit from pressure-treated wood. These are jobs that are going to need to stand up to the elements for years without succumbing to rot or insects. The framing for these projects – like decks, fences, sheds, etc – can be pressure-treated, but the appearance boards should not be.
Upgrade Your Home and Reach Out to Freedom Fence Today
Whether you want a brand new patio in the spring or want to install a beautiful new wood fence, Freedom Fence and Home has the expertise, competitive prices, and professional service you need. Freedom Fence and Home has over 50 years of fencing experience in the Baltimore County area, Harford County, Essex, White Marsh, and Bel Air area and we pride ourselves on giving our customers the best customer service experience possible. To see examples of our work and pick the right fence for your home, visit us online. To get started on planning your project, give us a call at (443) 271-6841, or visit us online. For more information, tips, and updates about Freedom Fence and Home, follow us on Twitter, Pinterest, and Facebook.