Tips For Buying Pressure Treated Lumber

[Posted on August 1st, 2013 by Aaron Presley]

Pressure treated lumber is the type of wood that can literally last forever. It is infused with preservatives so that it can be used for almost every outdoor project you can think of. Whether you are building a deck, a picnic table, a swing set, or even an ocean side boardwalk, this is the type of lumber that you want to us.

Before you start buying up all sorts of pressure treated lumber, you need to know some tips. This will make it easier to find what you’re looking for and get the desired result when you are done building.

Know the Lingo

When you begin talking to a lumber company about wood, you want to be familiar with the terminology that they use. Part of this is understanding the different conversions so you know exactly how much wood to ask for and how it will be delivered to you.

Learn About the Categories

There are 12 levels of pressure when you begin talking about pressure treated lumber. According to the American Wood Preserver’s Association (AWPA), there is everything from UC1 which is used for interior dry conditions to UC5 for marine use to UCFB, which is for exerior use above ground with fire protection.

You will want a different grade of lumber based upon what you will be using it for. Obviously, if you are building a table for indoors, it will need to be a different grade than what you would use to build a boat dock in salt or brackish water.

Educate Yourself on Treatment Options

One of the most popular types of lumber is that of rough cedar lumber because of the rustic look that it offers. Even though it is rough cut, you can choose to finish it in a variety of ways. Whether you opt for smooth or rough cut lumber, you need to know how to finish the pressure treated lumber so that it has the visual effect you want.

The different finishing options may have practical or aesthetic aspects. Some of the finishes are going to help rain or water proof the lumber while others are going to change the color and even the luster of the wood.

Before you buy any kind of pressure treated lumber, you need to learn about the lumber so that you know what you need and how you can work with it. While a lumber company is going to be able to answer a lot of questions that you may have, it’s better to go in with some semblance of knowledge.

You only want to build something once. If it’s pressure treated, it’s going to last virtually forever – assuming that you purchase the right category and understand how to work with it. Regardless of what you’re building with the lumber, it can be durable and last for years and years with little to no care on your part.