# Treated Lumber Question



## Boca (Mar 14, 2016)

How long do the chemicals (and therefore the hazards) remain in pressure treated lumber that was treated with arsenic and chromium? Does this wood remain forever poisoned or do the chemicals lessen or leach out of the wood over time?


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## nealtw (Mar 14, 2016)

CCA is not the normal treatment for wood anymore, in 2003 it changed mostly to just copper.


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## slownsteady (Mar 14, 2016)

Interesting question. Hope this helps, but note that the article is dated 2009:
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2889/is-the-arsenic-in-treated-wood-dangerous


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## nealtw (Mar 14, 2016)

I have built a few raised garden beds, I have lined the top 12" with 6 mil poly and the top coarse is raw cedar.


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## Snoonyb (Mar 14, 2016)

Boca said:


> How long do the chemicals (and therefore the hazards) remain in pressure treated lumber that was treated with arsenic and chromium? Does this wood remain forever poisoned or do the chemicals lessen or leach out of the wood over time?



Not long enough to curb or affect the rate of infestation prevalent in florida.

As with the inherent natural resistance which exist in species of wood, it dissipates over time.


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## slownsteady (Mar 15, 2016)

> Does this wood remain forever poisoned or do the chemicals lessen or leach out of the wood over time?



I imagine the key to this question is "where does this stuff go?"


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## rokosz (Mar 15, 2016)

yup, right back into the ground, or your lawn, or your veggies.  Remember too: there are different grades of PT:  that rated for ground contact and that not.  I haven't checked but I'd bet the ground stuff is good and saturated.  
Lifespan:  greatly effected by whether cut-ends are protected.  Ever seen old rotted PT -- it usually rots from the middle out -- becaues the manu process pushes the chems _in_ and doesn't get the chems into 100% of the wood.  (Maybe there's a grade of PT now that _does_ do 100% -- be nice esp. for 6x6s).


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## nealtw (Mar 15, 2016)

rokosz said:


> yup, right back into the ground, or your lawn, or your veggies.  Remember too: there are different grades of PT:  that rated for ground contact and that not.  I haven't checked but I'd bet the ground stuff is good and saturated.
> Lifespan:  greatly effected by whether cut-ends are protected.  Ever seen old rotted PT -- it usually rots from the middle out -- becaues the manu process pushes the chems _in_ and doesn't get the chems into 100% of the wood.  (Maybe there's a grade of PT now that _does_ do 100% -- be nice esp. for 6x6s).



It might penetrate if the wood was dry before the treatment but that isn't the case.


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## Jimsox (Sep 10, 2019)

What do you think of this fence wood  was this way at 6 months and worse now at 1.5 yrs


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## Jimsox (Sep 10, 2019)

Bad wood for 1 yr old?


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## Snoonyb (Sep 10, 2019)

It's aging treated lumber, enjoy the aesthetics.


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## Jimsox (Sep 10, 2019)

No way for 1000’ of this mess


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## Jimsox (Sep 10, 2019)

@ $9.00 a linear ft


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## Jimsox (Sep 10, 2019)

Falling apart contracting and expanding every time it rains......as much as 2”


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## nealtw (Sep 10, 2019)

It looks like wood that is a year out in the weather. I think the knot were there when it was new.


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## Jimsox (Sep 10, 2019)

But it’s coming off the post gate latched fell off... contracting and expanding


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## nealtw (Sep 11, 2019)

Now that is not nice.


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