Milling Pressure Treated Lumber

J

Jay Knoll

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Joined
Feb 15, 2007
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132
Hi everyone

I've got to rebuild the "dog house" that covers our irrigation system controls and pump.  The current cover lasted about 7 years, I didn't understand Florida weather when I built it.  This one will be designed to last!  I want to glue up PT 2x4s and mill them so I'll have straight and true materials to work with.  I"m wondering if this will remove the PT treatment, or does the process force the chemicals throughout the wood?

Thanks for the help!

Jay
 
I can see several problems to overcome with the PT.  I have used it for some non-deck  things and it worked out OK allowing for ...

Lots of wood movement.  I used slotted screw holes where flat board runs were joined by  a cross piece.

Twisting and bowing  hard to deal with unless  well attached to something solid.

The treatment penatration seems to vary. I have had some that it looks treated all the way through, and some that was only a bit into the surface.  Usually this is only obvious after you make a cut and can see the interior.

Depending on how much milling you are doing the stuff likes to change shape as you take wood off.

Seth
 
As said above, PT doesn't take too well to milling, and the treatment doesn't necessarily go all the way through- that's why you're supposed to field-treat cut ends.  I'd look into using cypress over PT.
 
Jay,

Ditto with what others have said.  The treatment pretty much forms an envelope of protection.  If you do go the pressure treated route, you could look for the treated lumber that has been kiln dried afterwards.  It usually behaves better than the dripping wet stuff from the big box stores.

Peter
 
+1 on the cypress, I have used that for several outdoor items.  Easy to mill etc.  A little soft though, and quite light.

How about manmade stuff, Trex etc?

Seth
 
WarnerConstCo. said:
How about a skin of MDO, aka signboard.

Paint it and it lasts a long time outside.
Click to expand...

I think the buggies in Florida would do a number on it- great for weather resistance, but not so much for termite resistance.
 
Thanks guys

I didn't think about cypress, I think I'll got that route for the strucutre.  I'm going to use T111 Siding for enclosing the structure (the same stuff that is on our house)and its holding up fine.
 
Do you have the vermin (squirrels, racoons, possums, rats, mice) problems that we have here?

I have come to the conclusion that the only logical skin for a building here is cement, concrete, cement fiber board, metal, brick, or stone. The vermin are pretty aggressive, especially in the winter when their freezing their little vermin bottoms off.

Tom
 
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