ShortCuts

Hello All and thankyou Audrey for inviting me to join this forum. It looks like it could be a fun site and I will try to contribute some worthwhile information.
As some of you may know, I publish a weekly column called ShortCuts that deals with woodworking and DIY subjects along with tool news and reviews.
What with all of the recent talk about pressure treated lumber I thought that I would add my research on the subject this week. A couple of sticky products are tested as well as a high powered saw without a cord. Take a look.
http://www.shortcuts.ns.ca/column

Interesting, I can imagine all of the "pro" pressure treated lumber folks turning a blind eye to the subject of the environmental effects of the treated lumber that we all love. I admit that I use it regularly, but the current restrictions of the applications have limited my use considerably. One application of treated wood is around overhead garage door frames. The bottom of the frame is right down on the ground (garage floor) and nothing looks better than aluminum wrapped over it. I've been covering the wood with black paper and using stainless trim nails. I don't really know if this is enough protection for the aluminum, but at least it's something.

The big issue for me is children's playground equipment. Non-treated wood seems to be a safety issue because of the joints rotting out when non-treated wood is used. When two pieces of wood are attached flat together outdoors, moisture is almost always present. Pressure treated seems to do well in this situation where non-treated seems to break down quickly and you can't see the damage until something fails. Most schools and parks have gone on to steel and composites for playground materials. Maybe this expensive equipment is the way to go. My kids will probably see some treated lumber on tree houses and decks somewhere else if not here at home. So, until something else comes along, is available and affordable, I'm betting that pressure treated will be around for a long time. Pressure treated lumber,, the next big deal, like asbestos, if Ralph Nader was still in his prime,,,,

Tom in KY, With asbestos siding behind my brick and pressure treated lumber scattered around here and there and everywhere around my home.

who cares about old ralph nader i own 5 corvairs. so na na

Graham, I will have to check out your site. OK,now about the treated wood. I found out the hard way that it is not safe for ornamental ponds. I built an arbor over my pond last year and killed all my Koi. I contacted Lowes who just said it is not thier problem and told me to contact georgia pacific. georgia pacific just said it meets federal requirements and it's my loss. I contacted the EPA and they would not do anything. They said that GP products were safe for humans and that is all they care about. What i found out was the excess chemicals that were trapped in the splits and knot holes of the wood started melting out in the rain and dripped into the pond. It was not enough to hurt domestic fish (catfish) in the pond but killed all of my exotic fish (Koi) The chemicals put too much Amonia in the water for them. What I di was pressure wash the hell out of the arbor until there was no Amonia present in the water dripping off of it. Solved the problem for me, but Geaorgia pacific and especially Lowes have lost a lot of customers because of thier "don't give a dam" attitudes.

Thanks for your coments people. I wonder about class action suits down the road when big box store employees sue for damages because of cancer from the handling of ACQ treated lumber. Nowhere in any of the stores I've been to are gloves available for either employees or customers. A few years ago I got a splinter in my hand from ACQ and it quickly started to fester. Lot's of alcohol (mostly externally) looked after it as I was close to home.

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