Pressure treated lumber - basics and beyond

You stand back and admire the beauty of the new wood fence you just put up. How long will that nice, warm wood glow last? Depending on where you live and the intensity of the weather cycles, not long. And not long might mean several months. Whether you stain a fence yourself—and for God’s sake, don’t paint it unless you like doing a bi-annual imitation of Huck Finn—or buy “pre-stained” pickets for your wood fencing, remember that the stain will likely fade faster than Clay Aiken’s career.

Some people prefer the weathered gray patina a wood fence acquires from exposure to the elements. For those who want to retain the rich color of freshly hewn fence pickets for years to come, there’s Microshades. ProWood Micro with Microshades is the only wood fencing product to carry a 2-year No Fade warranty, along with its limited lifetime warranty against rot and termites.

MicroShades uses an in-solution pigment (which means it’s part of the pressure treatment process, not an afterthought) that makes for more consistent coloring and better penetration than staining. Plus, the natural wood characteristics are still visible, not stained over. And, since MicroShades uses the ProWood Micro wood preservative formulation technology, fasteners are not a concern—hot dipped galvanized or better work fine.

Click photos to enlarge

We watched for two years as a wood fence in Tomball, Texas (shown above) took all the punishment Texas summers can dish out. The pictures above show a very dramatic difference in weathering. On the right half of the photo is MicroShades and on the left is cedar fencing. The cedar fence is faded and some nail streaking has occurred already. The wood privacy fencing which uses MicroShades, by contrast, looks like it was put up yesterday.

And if sustained beauty doesn’t make you happy enough, you can take pleasure in knowing the process used to make the MicroShades formulation has won numerous green awards, including Environmentally Preferred Product status by Scientific Certification Systems, the National Association of Home Builders Green Product Award and certification from GreenGuard for Children and Schools.

For more close-up views of the long lasting beauty of MicroShades and a quick peek at how it’s made watch the video.
 

We often get asked for our painting recommendations for pressure treated wood. Our recommendation is short and simple: Don’t.

We do not recommend the use of a conventional multi-coat paint system or varnish.  The performance is nearly always disappointing, and repainting often has to be preceded by scraping and sanding.  By nature of its make-up, pressure treated lumber does not need protection from the elements, so applying an opaque paint or stain is gilding the lily. If you want to keep it looking new for years to come there are some simple maintenance tips we do recommend.

So, you don’t care what we say and you want to paint your pressure treated wood project anyway? That's fine. Start with an outdoor primer/sealer and make sure the wood is dry. If you just bought the wood wait at least 60 days (don’t let it lie about loose or it will warp). Pour a bit of water on the surface of the boards. If the water beads, it’s not dry enough. If the water soaks in, it’s ready. It’s not only water that wants to escape from the cells of the pressure treated lumber, but natural pitch wants to come out as well, once the surface heats up in the sun and starts to dry out. Once it does it will peel any finish you’ve applied. 

Be sure to follow the paint or stain manufacturer’s recommendations and remember that horizontal surfaces will get much more punishment than vertical surfaces.

There are several different types of pressure treated wood available in retail lumber yards today. A discussion involving all of them would result in an alphabet soup of acronyms for the various types of treatment formulations.

At Universal Forest Products, we treat our ProWood Micro CA pressure treated lumber with a formulation known as Micronized Copper Azole, or MCA. And its makeup is simpler than you may have guessed.

The finished product contains two active ingredients to stop decay and termite attack: copper and a non-metallic “organic” called tebuconazole. “Azoles” are used in several everyday personal care products such as foot creams and fungal ointments. Copper is, of course, a common metal used for drinking water pipes, wiring, and other applications that humans come in contact with every day. These two ingredients are applied in a mixture of water at a solution strength of less than 1% active ingredients (99% or more water). The  EPA has registered this preservative and deemed it appropriate for the protection of wood from rot and termites where used as directed. The result is pressure treated wood that is an eco friendly product and servicable for decades.

Your home center may have several options when it comes to pressure treated lumber for landscaping. You should know a few basic facts about each before you buy.

3”x5”x8’ landscape ties (nominal measurement)
Most 3”x5”x8’ pressure treated landscape timbers (LST’s) originate as the center cants from plywood veneer peeling mills. Logs are kept wet to make peeling easier and the peeled cants arrive at the pressure treatment plant without benefit of kiln or air drying. Lumber that is not dried before pressure treatment cannot be fully penetrated by the treatment solution during the treatment process. This will be reflected with a shorter term warranty—in the case of ProWood Micro CA treated lumber, one year—than would have been otherwised offered by lumber that had the advantage of full preservative penetration. These ties are not recommended for applications that call for in-ground, structural performance over several years, such as fence posts.
 
4x4 and 6x6 timbers (nominal measurements)
ProWood Micro CA timbers carry either a lifetime limited warranty or a one year warranty, depending on their intended end use. The surest way to know the difference between a timber made for landscaping and a timber made for a structural application is by the warranty. If the timber carries a lifetime limited warranty it means it was dried before pressure treatment and can be warranted for structural use. Generally, these timbers are building code approved and carry an Evaluation Service Report from ICC-ES, a third party testing agency. You can use timbers for fence posts, raised garden beds, retaining walls and any other projects that call for high performance over a long period of time.

End tags
Every piece of treated lumber in the store has an end tag, on which you should find the following:

• Third party testing agency
• Standard to which it is treated (ESR-2240 in ProWood Micro’s case)
• End use (ground contact or above ground, for instance)
• Wood preservatives used (ProWood Micro uses micronized copper azole)
• Treating company’s name
• Warranty
• Handling information

Eco Friendly Products
ProWood Micro treated wood products use the MicroPro treatment process which is certified under SCS's Environmentally Preferable Product (EPP) program. In addition to EPP status, the technology has earned Green Approved Product certification from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Research Center.

Knowing the above information will help you make the informed choice when specifying your next outdoor landscape project.

According to a recent report in US News and World Report, homeowners who add a wooden deck to their properties recoup on average nearly 81% of the project’s cost when they sell the home. Celia Kuperszmid Lehrman, deputy home editor at Consumer Reports, says the wooden deck’s appeal is linked to today’s more thrift-conscious consumers, who are looking to save money by spending more time at home. “Since they are staying home they want to enjoy their outdoors,” Kuperszmid Lehrman says. “So adding a deck is one of those areas that can add value.” US News and World Report claims building a wood deck is among the 5 best home improvement projects for your money.

With increased attention being paid to home energy reduction, radiant barriers have lately been in the green building spotlight. So, what exactly is a radiant barrier and what can a home owner expect from one?

Radiant barriers, like Enerflex, are materials that reflect the radiant heat of the sun. They are installed in roofs and walls of a structure. Do they save energy? Yes. But be careful to understand any savings claims that may be made. For example, a claim that a product reflects 90% of radiant heat does not mean it will reduce cooling bills by 90%.

So how do they decrease heat? First let’s understand the three ways heat is transferred: With conduction, heat is transferred from one molecule to the next. Holding a beer bottle warms the beer. This is bad. Insulation mitigates this. Convection involves moving air, and a fan is an example of how to reduce this type of heat. Radiant heat is a bit harder to understand. Terms like “electromagnetic waves” and “high-energy particle transmission” are thrown about in its explanation but for purposes of this post let’s just say radiant heat is noticed by you when it hits the air around you, your car seats or your home’s roof. Heat from the sun is absorbed by roofing materials and reradiates to the air in your attic. That’s why attics get so hot. This heat energy then gets absorbed by the attic insulation and ceiling drywall, then is reradiated into the living space, making the room warmer.

A radiant barrier reflects that radiant heat. Shiny aluminum foil facing a heat source reflects over 90% of the radiant heat that strikes it. How much can it save you in cooling costs? Depends on your climate, shading from trees, how much insulation you already have in your attic, and to some extent, how well the attic is ventilated. Some studies indicate the most energy saving benefits are in homes that have duct work or HVAC equipment located in the attic. Leaky ducts draw in the hot attic air causing your system to work harder to cool 140 degree air rather than the air in other living spaces.

Radiant barriers like Enerflex can cool attic temperatures 20 to 35 degrees. The radiant barrier creates a cooler attic which helps reduce cooling costs. Obviously there are comfort improvements to be noticed in the rooms just below the attic.

To see just how easy Enerflex radiant barrier installs, watch our step-by-step how-to video.

Source: Green Builder Magazine

ProSales Magazine’s editors have awarded MicroPro, the formulation used to treat ProWood Micro CA pressure treated lumber, their 2010 annual Editors' Choice Award. According to the editors, “Manufacturers introduce hundreds of new products every year. These few are the ones most worth your attention.” Selections were based on research from ProSales, plus expert reviews by other Hanley Wood publications.

There are many ways to remodel an older home with green principles in mind. Contemplating indoor air quality and water conservation, and the use of sustainable, green building products all play a part in the planning process of environmentally friendly homes. But reduced energy consumption has the biggest long-term, bottom-line affect for a home owner once the last nail is driven.

Air conditioning is a major cause of high utility bills during summer months. On a hot day, heat from the sun is absorbed by the roof shingles and warms the sheathing below, which radiates heat toward the attic floor. By installing Enerflex radiant barrier, up to 96% of this radiant energy will be reflected back toward the roof.

Air conditioners will have an easier time doing their job and electric bills drop when radiant barriers are added to attics, a study by Centex Corporation and the Energy Center of Appalachian State University has determined. When a radiant barrier was installed in test homes, the study found:

• A 23-degree F drop in the peak attic temperature
• A 20% reduction in the AC unit’s run time during the 7 hours of peak attic temps
• A 57% efficiency improvement in the cooled air delivered through the air ducts.

The Energy Star approved Enerflex radiant barrier is best for existing homes and installs easily, with no tools, via a simple tension fit between rafters.

To see just how easy Enerflex radiant barrier installs, watch our step-by-step how-to video.

We get this question a lot. The simple answer is pressure-treated lumber can be used in any interior application except cutting boards and countertops. Some have also asked, after they’ve found pressure treated lumber installed inside their homes, if there is any danger in having it indoors. The answer is no. There is no danger of either leaching or off-gassing. But these answers beg another question: Why would you use treated lumber indoors? The reason lumber is treated is to protect it from exterior elements that might cause rot, decay or termite infestation. In a protected environment there is no danger of rot or decay, unless the wood is exposed regularly to moisture, such as near a leaking pipe or window.

Some bathroom sub floor panel products are pressure treated as they may be exposed to moisture on a regular basis and some builders use borate-treated lumber, such as ProWood Borate, for sill plates in areas where termite infestation is common. In extreme areas of termite infestation, such as the US Gulf Coast and Hawaii, the whole structural shell may be constructed using ProWood Borate or other borate-treated lumber products. Other than those examples there would not be a need to use pressure treated lumber indoors.

Universal’s ProWood Micro CA pressure treated lumber uses the MicroPro technology developed by Osmose, Inc. On March 9, 2010 the US Patent and Trademark Office issued a patent for the MicroPro technology. Wood products treated with MicroPro, including ProWood Micro CA, are sold in over 5,000 lumber yards and home centers across the US.

The MicroPro pressure treated wood process is Environmentally Preferred Product certified by the testing organization SCS and has earned Green Product Award certification from the National Association of Home Builders Research Center.

The Southern Pine Council recently published its 2010 guide to specifying pressure treated wood: Pressure Treated Southern Pine – standards, specifications and applications. If you've ever had questions regarding this time-honored product line this document will answer them.

• Attributes of the Southern Pine species
• The pressure treating process
• Types of wood preservatives
• The Use Category system (a specifying guide)
• Code standards and building code requirements
• Design values
• Guide to grade and quality marks
• Fastener and connector recommendations
• Use and handling
• Green aspects of wood in general and pressure treated lumber in particular

Here’s the answer to the question of which brand of pressure treated lumber is best:
Universal’s ProWood^® Micro pressure treated lumber products use a wood preservative process that has received environmentally preferable product status. ProWood Micro pressure treated wood products have gained enthusiastic acceptance in the marketplace and are in thousands of retail locations. Its many features and benefits, including sustainability attributes, fastener advantages and performance, make it the choice of professionals and home owners everywhere.

The last thing a homeowner or builder wants to worry about is termites destroying all the hard work they've put into a structure. A great way to guard against these tiny terrors is with ProWood^® Borate treated lumber from Universal Forest Products.

Using ProWood Borate products is the best way to build a structural shell with the protection of your home in mind. ProWood Borate is specially treated with environmentally-safe borates to resist the formidable Formosan termites, whose colonies can consume 1,000 pounds of wood each year.

ProWood Borate is designed for interior use, and can be used for sill plates and other above-ground applications protected from the weather. It has the look, feel and workability of traditional wood. Distinguished by a bluish hue, Borates have been used for more than 100 years, making them the tried and trusted way to protect lumber.

ProWood Borate treated lumber is rot-resistant and protects against pests and damage such as:

• Standard termites
• Carpenter ants
• Roaches
• Dry rot
• Fungal decay
• Wood-boring beetles

ProWood Borate pressure treated lumber features a limited lifetime warranty and is non-corrosive to metal—eliminating the need for expensive fasteners.

The process used to make the micronized copper formulation found in ProWood Micro CA was awarded Environmentally Preferred Product (EPP) status by Scientific Certification Services in December 2007. This was the first pressure treated lumber formulation to earn such status.

We are now pleased to announce that this same formulation has recently earned Green Approved Product Certification from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Research Center. Now, ProWood Micro CA pressure treated lumber products are eligible to receive points toward a building being certified under both the National Green Building Standard and LEED. Go to the ProWood Micro CA Web site to read complete details.

There are interesting new developments in the Osmose vs. Viance court battle. Viance, a maker of treated wood chemicals, has claimed publicly competitor Osmose’s wildly popular pressure treated lumber formulation MicroPro, which is used by Universal in its ProWood Micro brand of treated wood, doesn’t work as advertised. Not sitting still for this, Osmose sued, and on March 24 a judge issued a temporary restraining order (TRO), forcing Viance to cease its attacks.

On September 29th, Osmose was granted a motion for preliminary injunction reaffirming that Viance must stop its negative marketing campaign against the MicroPro technology and micronized copper wood preservatives.  Viance tried hard to get the judge to lift the TRO and was denied with this ruling. By continuing the restraining order the judge has affirmed the court’s position that Viance must discontinue their attacks on MicroPro.

Both Osmose and Viance have sought injunctions against one other. They are almost mirrors of each another, both accusing the other of misleading statements and false advertising. The judge said “yes” to Osmose and “no” to Viance. Emphatically so, if you read the court order, available here: http://www.treatedwoodtruth.com/pdf/09-29-09-USDC-188-Order-on-Preliminary-Injunction-Osmose-vs-Viance.pdf

Of significance is the fact that Viance does not have any details of this latest ruling, with the exception of their own press release, on their Web site. The fact that the latest court order cannot be found there raises the question, "Why not?"

Various industry publications are lining up with Osmose on this issue. Their comments can be found here:

http://www.prosalesmagazine.com/industry-news.asp?referer=rss427&sectionID=427&articleID=1087411

And here:

http://www.remodeling.hw.net/blogs/postdetails.aspx?BlogId=tedsremodelingblog&postId=89675

Documents related to this case can be found on the treatedwoodtruth.com site, here: http://www.treatedwoodtruth.com/index.php

As the nation’s leading pressure treated lumber producer, we’re often contacted by fledgling companies seeking to gain a market foothold with a new wood preservative product or technology. Our staff of chemical engineers and wood technologists evaluates each new product opportunity with close scrutiny given to the efficacy, safety and value inherent in the new process or technology.

We manufacture for our customers only those products that pass our own very rigorous testing methods. Those products include the ProWood family of pressure treated lumber brands. Some products that don’t meet our high manufacturing and selling standards – whether for reasons of effectiveness, value or warranty concerns – end up in the general marketplace, regardless of our judgment.

Occasionally we receive an inquiry from one of our customers to quote a job that requires a product we have previously tested and don’t necessarily recommend. As a loyal supplier to that customer we will supply the job, while specifically disclaiming any liability in the event of the failure of that product to perform.

A recent example of this is our single-order agreement to sell a product called BluWood to one of our customers. BluWood is not a product we would recommend for its intended use but the specification in the building plan called for it. UFP will ship lumber to a BluWood facility for treatment and from there it will be shipped to UFP’s customer. Without our prior knowledge, EcoBlue, the company that makes BluWood, put out a press release announcing the order for this one job, while intimating an ongoing and growing relationship between our companies. This is not the case and we have asked EcoBlue to retract those statements that would lead the reader to infer that the two companies enjoy an ongoing partnership. We sold the product to our customer because it was specified and not because we advocated its use. Finally, there is no distribution agreement between EcoBlue and UFP, nor are there plans to create one.

Your mid-summer outdoor pursuits may find you wandering pressure treated docks, boardwalks and nature path bridges. The posts supporting these structures are often sunk in water. Speculation regarding exposing aquatic wildlife to the chemicals used to treat the wood has led in some cases to concerns about the use of pressure treated wood in these applications.

In a recently published article, Dr. Kenneth Brooks, of Aquatic Environmental Sciences, presented his conclusions regarding this concern after studying the environmental response to pressure treated lumber over the last 17 years. As Dr. Brooks states in the article, “In 14 of 15 risk assessments, no significant adverse affects to the environment were documented. In fact, invertebrate communities were more diverse and abundant near these (pressure treated lumber) structures than at nearby reference locations.”

The newest, most technologically advanced pressure treatment formula—such as that used in ProWood Micro CA—is micronized copper azole. According to testing performed by Scientific Certification Systems, this new formulation has achieved a 90-99% reduction in copper release in aquatic and terrestrial environments. In addition, the copper in ProWood Micro CA bonds readily to organic matter in the soil. The copper becomes biologically inactive, thus causing no ecological impacts.

Continuous improvement through better technology is helping pressure treated lumber become an even more sustainable product, with no decline in performance.

With the recession in full swing home gardening is making a comeback. Vegetable lovers with diminished means are finding that a little more green in the pocket is worth a bit of toil in the soil. A good choice for many backyard growers is a raised garden bed. The perfect building material for raised beds is pressure treated lumber. It’s economical, easy to work and safe to use in gardening applications. The new micronized copper formulations, including ProWood Micro CA, use a treatment process that has earned Environmentally Preferred Product status from Scientific Certification Systems. This new formulation also has a lighter, fresher appearance compared to other formulations and is less corrosive to fasteners.  

 
According to Becky Wern, Master Gardener with the Duvall County
Agricultural Extension Service and the University of Florida, today's pressure treated lumber "is safe to use around children and animals and for gardens with edibles."
 

Don’t burn or compost pressure treated wood. Once you’re finished building the bed, your pressure treated wood scraps and sawdust can be land-filled along with ordinary household trash.