Pressure Treated Lumber Makes the Best Weather Resistant Building Material

[Posted on Jan 30]
Written by: Aaron Presley

Wood is a common material that is used in a variety of construction projects. It may be found in fences, buildings, decks and more in both residential and commercial use. While wood is commonly used because of its affordability, as well as how easy it is to work with in comparison to other types of building materials, it does have some drawbacks. For example, untreated wood generally may be more susceptible to weather-related damage, pest damage and fungal growth. However, pressure treated lumber offers you the benefits of wood in your construction projects without the drawbacks. With a closer look at what this material offers, you may see why it is a popular building material used for outdoor projects.

What is Pressure Treated Lumber?

Pressure treated lumber is commonly available in most hardware stores and home improvement stores, and you may find pine or other types of wood available with this unique treatment. This is wood that has been specially treated with a chemical preservative and subject to pressurization in a pressure chamber. Through this process, the chemical treatment is thoroughly absorbed by the wood. Chemicals that are most commonly used in this process include alkaline copper quaternary. Pressure treating technology has improved greatly from its humble beginnings, and today’s pressure treated lumber is significantly safer and healthier than ever before.

Weather Resistance

One of the most significant benefits associated with using pressure treated lumber in construction projects relates to its weather resistance. This material is designed to resist permeation of water and may be less affected by extreme temperature fluctuations. Some types of wood, such as untreated pine, may deteriorate rapidly when exposed regularly to moisture. Pressure treated wood, on the other hand, may hold up for a much longer period of time without showing signs of damage for years.

Pest and Fungus Resistant
Pressure treated lumber may most commonly be used to build decks, fences and more because it is weather resistant, it is important to note that it also is resistant to pest damage and fungal growth. Wood that is used in outdoor settings may commonly be exposed to wood-destroying insects, but the special treatment resists this type of costly damage. Furthermore, fungi will not be able to grow on pressure treated wood.

Affordability

Other materials may also be resistant to weather, pests and fungal growth. For example, PVC and vinyl materials also boast these properties. However, when you compare pressure treated wood against other similar materials, it is important to note that pressure treated lumber is typically the most affordable option available. Furthermore, wood also boasts the added benefit of being easy to work with and usually only requiring basic tools for installation.

If you have been looking for the best weather resistant material to use for your building projects, you should compare pressure treated wood against the other options available. After you have taken time to learn more about this material and understand more thoroughly how it stacks up to the other options, you may make the same decision that so many others have made. Pressure treated lumber continues to be among the most popular materials used when weather resistance is a concern.

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