Building a Kids play fort / climbing frame....wood advice needed.

contains arsnic, and has rules

The only "killer" for me will be the slide. Most of these places have the slide as an optional extra anyway. Dont know where you buy your timber from - but it must be pretty expensive if it would be comparible to a precut one

The only ones I found on that site were priced between 600 and 1350 quid. The platform section in the 600 quid one is only 2'x2"6'. I will build one with a 5'x6' platform, (enclosed for safety) and will be far more substantial and also include a "room" underneath the platform for far less than half that. Also - I dont want the swing part anyway since that will be supported by a single support from the fort and customised to suit its location.

If you wanted to show a cheaper place that I did seriously consider, these ones are far better value than the expensive link you posted:

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guv
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Probably - if I knew of one!

Agreed - but I would need to get it delivered and the chances are, I wouldnt get the choice!

From what I have read here - there is pressure treating - then there is pressure treating thats not going to be as good.

Well, its not going into the ground - just resting - and being further support from sinking under the weight by joining 2x4 planks.

I did telephone a merchant today. I explaned that I wanted planed timber that was treated. He rang me back with a quote from their supplier. After I had picked myself up off the floor, it was clear that I either needed a bit of luck in finder a cheaper alternative, else I would have to plane and sand.

He told me that the timber they sold was Tanilised "E", which he said wouldnt cause any problems from harmful chemicals, so it does look like the most viable option. I guess it all boils down to the depth of penetration and how rough they are. I could possably get a loan of a van to transport the material myself - and reject timber that is too rough. Certainly if they only want to sell me their old crap - I'll go elsewhere. I wouldnt get that luxury if I had it delivered.

Is Tanilised "E" timber OK to use? Obviously it refers to the treatment they use. Not sure if its their term or a recognised process.

Reply to
guv

In message , guv writes

Yeelow pages/Yell, most places have one around if you look.

Well yes, like most things. If it says 'Tanalised' then it's probably ok, as this is a brand name, and the company do try to have some sort of standard that the companies using stick to.

Well ok, whatever timber is in contact with the ground - which is where the rot most often occurs anyway- plenty of oxygen and water.

One of the reasons that the made ones seemed expensive?

Tanalith-E is a brand name for a particular product - Tanalising is the name of the process I guess, though it is sometimes used as the generic aka Hoover. It appears to be of the new non-CCA contents:

TBH, if you are talking of sanding and planning a load of it them I'd reconsider. Even good pressure treating doesn't penetrate that deep into the wood, (we are probably talking millimetres at best?), so you would be getting rid of most of it, and creating a lot of impregnated dust etc. which I'm not sure I'd fancy around the garden.

Even softwood doesn't rot that quickly unless its damp for long enough. We took down some old tatty 'rustic' fencing. It probably was 20+ years old and had never been treated Whiel there was some rot around the joint where there were screw holes etc..most was sound.

Most of the timber is not in contact with the ground, a decent surface applied preservative treatment would probably do the job fine, esp. if you pay attention to the joints. Maybe treated for the planks you lay on the ground, and soak the ends of the posts in preservative for a few days?

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chris French

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