Right wood for a Gutter Board?

[Michael D]

I bought some wood to replace a gutter board from my local timber merchant last weekend. They recommended treated wood, but it's only planned and it's full of knots, so I've got to mess about sanding it & treating the knots. Also it's 20mm thick & seems pretty heavy to hold something as light as a short run of plastic gutter. Then, when I got it home I realised that it's bowed, so needs to go back anyway.

What kind of wood should you use for a board to hold a gutter? Does it have to be treated? It needs to be 4 metres long & when I looked in Homebase & B&Q the longest that they had was 3 metres (sanded & very few knots, but untreated) and having to join 2 bits seems a bit messy. Would untreated pine be OK once it's painted?

Basically I'm wondering what people normally use.

Regards,

Michael

[BigWallop]

This is what most builders and roofers use:

[David Hearn]

[Andrew Gabriel]

I used regular planed pine. First I cut it to size and temporarily fitted it with just a couple of nails hammered half way in each piece to make sure all the pieces fitted (I had to go round a corner, and couldn't get a 5m length home anyway). Then I took it all down.

First, I treated it with a wet/dry-rot/insect protector. Next, primed it with aluminium primer. Finally, gloss undercoat and topcoat. Since it was not fitted, I treated and painted all surfaces including the back, so if water does happen to get behind, there is some protection there too. Last job was then to put it up, and screw the guttering to it.

This was mostly done over last year's August bank holidays, and it's still looking good as new.

[David Hearn]

I think his point was that it was treated *because* it rots - and therefore its best to avoid wood that will rot (or at least, less susceptible to rotting).

Treated wood shouldn't rot too quickly though... ;)

D

[BigWallop]

They are polycarbonate and come in many different finishes. It is very difficult to tell the wood effect finish from real wood and the best bit is, it lasts for many, many years without major maintenance.

[Andy Dingley]

Treated pineywood still rots faster than using the right species.

[Andy Dingley]

Most also read the Sun, drink lager and eat pies.

Which is no reason for me to start doing it.

[stuart noble]

Of all exterior woodwork gutter board is probably the least likely to rot. Stating the obvious but paint it before you put it up.