We are thinking of putting a wood deck in our back yard to support a hot tub. Need some advice on types of wood and pricing contractors to construct the deck. We live in Texas in case their are regional differences.
Pressure treated pine, cedar, redwood and synthetics are common deck materials. Get at least 3 bids from local deck builders in your area, and be sure to tell them the deck needs to support a hot tub. Dave
Saw a news article the other night that said CCA is now outlawed for 2004. Are there other ways of pressure treating wood ?
Yes, but not as effectively. Properly used the CCA lumber we've been using for years shouldn't pose a risk. This is another "for the children" exercise.
The January issue of "Fine Homebuilding" (pg 82 et seq) has a good survey article on the new alternatives to CCA treated lumber. Apart from the reduced effectiveness of most of these alternatives a problem I foresee is that there are now a plethora of grades of rot resistance to select from. The user will now have to evaluate the planned use and select the appropriate treated lumber. If the user couldn't properly use CCA treated lumber how is he/she going to able to navigate this more complex road? Further, I doubt that all lumber yards will stock all grades in all dimensions so compromises will be made of necessity. Less reliable structures will then be built.
I raised kids and built play structures for them using CCA lumber. There have been no issues and their children now play on those structures. Only support members were CCA treated, they were finished with oil based paints, and they are maintained. Almost 40 years later they are still in good and serviceable condition.
This is Government trying to legislate a solution to stupidity. It doesn't work. Dangerous materials can be used safely and "safe" materials can be used un-safely.
RB
Steve St> Saw a news article the other night that said CCA is now outlawed for 2004.
If you do not have a set of drawings showing the shape and size of the deck, what steps and railing look like, foundation design, joist sizes, finishes and so on, you must provide the various bidders some standard statement of what you want. This will help you know if you are getting bids on the same thing.
Tom Baker registered architect / 35 years of experience
From the Forest Products Laboratory (part of the USDA I believe):
Coatings Found to Greatly Reduce Leaching from CCA-Treated Wood--Concerns have increased that arsenic pentoxide, chromium trioxide, or copper oxide released from the surface of chromated copper arsenate (CCA)-treated wood used in playground equipment and decks can harm people or the environment. Although experts disagree on the severity of the threat posed to children or other users of treated wood products, many consumers are seeking methods to minimize any risk of chemical exposure. Coatings or sealers are often recommended, but their efficacy in preventing leaching has undergone little evaluation. To address this question, researchers at the Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) recently evaluated the ability of three common coatings to reduce leaching from CCA-treated wood. Replicate matched specimens of treated 2 by
6 lumber were given one of the following coatings:(1) latex primer followed by one coat of outdoor latex paint, (2) oil-based primer followed by one coat of oil-based paint, or (3) two coats of a penetrating oil semi-transparent deck stain. The specimens were then exposed to 30 inches of artificial rainfall for 3 weeks. The water running off of the specimens was collected and analyzed for preservative components. The results were very promising. All three coatings reduced leaching of arsenic pentoxide, chromium trioxide, and copper oxide by over 99% in comparison to uncoated specimens. None of the water collected from specimens coated with latex or oil-based paint contained any detectable copper, chromium, or arsenic. In some cases, water collected from the specimens that were coated with the penetrating oil stain did contain detectable levels, but the highest level of arsenic detected in these samples was still well below the EPA's drinking water standard. This study suggests that the application of these common coatings is an excellent recommendation for consumers who are worried about chemical exposure from CCA-treated wood. [Source: Stan Lebow, Wood Preservation and Fire Research Work Unit, FPL)HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.