Composite or Plastic Decking?

[edschmidt]

Re: Composite or Plastic Decking?

Theres your problem, I worked for 11 years for a company that happened to be the largest lumber treater in the country. If I remember right (I normally do) southern pine is the only truly treatable species. Everything else is treated to refusal and will rot. There are lumber yards around here that sell treated red pine, but I will not install there products. Also if possible get the ones with arsinic. The replacement treatements (AC2, AcQ are highly corrosive and less effective. I can usually get treated southern pine for about the same price as non-treated syp, at least in MI.
Good Luck

[Archena]

Re: Composite or Plastic Decking?

Hi,

Ed, what does "treated to refusal" mean?

[edschmidt]

Re: Composite or Plastic Decking?

It means it turned green. Really it just means they pumped in all of the chemicals that they could, but the composition of the wood is such that it will not hold the chemicals permanently, pretty much all wood fencing is this way. The treaters are really doing themselves a disservice by doing this type of thing because people will look at these products after 5 years, see the rot, and dismiss all treated wood products.
Eddie

[Archena]

Re: Composite or Plastic Decking?

Okay, thanks. I suspected it was something like that but wasn't sure.