How To Tell If Wood Is Pressure Treated

This discoloration is due to the chemical reaction.

How to tell if wood is pressure treated. When wood is pressure treated chemicals are forced into the wood to preserve it and make it resist rot decay and insects. If the water beads up the wood is too wet and you need to wait before applying a finish. Why The purpose of pressure treating wood is to make it able to stand up to rot fungus and insects and these are all problems you normally encounter outside.

Natural wood has an outdoorsy pleasant smell. Painting and sealing is your option but I would hazard the guess that most do not do it. All of the wood on the slab has a greenish color to it.

Three of the most common chemicals used to treat lumber are discussed below. If the wood has been outside in the elements for a number of years without significant decay it is probably pressure treated. Two of them--CCA and AC2 also known as ACQ--result in green pressure-treated wood.

If youre about to buy pressure-treated wood look at the tag on the end of the wood to find out whether it is pressure-treated wood or not. In the kitchen this piece lying on the concreate slab has no greenish color. If the water soaks into the wood then its dry and ready for stain or paint.

If it doesnt smell oily other chemicals may impart a disagreeable odor to the wood. Copper is a chemical used to protect the wood against fungi and bacteria which increases the lifespan of your wood. That being said just try to take notice of the following things.

The methods used to make pressure treated wood available to the public no longer contain arsenic since 2002 laws. Annually apply a clear stain to increase the longevity of the preservative coating on the woods surface if not using a paint product. Easiest Way to Find Out If Wood Is Pressure Treated.