Building a Deck – Things to Check if Using Softwood Species

Article by: Malcolm Kay

Whilst hardwood is generally the preferred lumber species for exterior decking due to its hardness, resistance to wear and attractive colour, , Managing the Hobby Greenhouse softwood species are commonly used, particularly where cost is an important factor. But the drawback of most softwoods is that they are not naturally durable so are unsuitable for use in areas fully exposed to the weather , Wrought Iron Garden Benches unless the wood , Manage Algae is properly treated with a recognized wood , The Garden Beckons preservative or completely sealed with an impervious surface coating. So when selecting a softwood species, one of the most important considerations is that these species used should be either a recognised naturally durable species such as Western Red Cedar, some species of cypress, larch or pine, or that it has been treated with an appropriate and good quality preservative.

For more than 70 years, the most commonly accepted wood , Forest Tent Caterpillars preservative treatment chemical has been CCA (copper chrome arsenic), which gained popularity due to its effectiveness and relatively low cost. (CCA treated lumber can normally be distinguished by the greenish tone it imparts to the wood). However in recent years, many national organisations and authorities have announced either bans or restrictions on the use of lumber treated with CCA. For example, in Australia from March 2006, CCA treated timber , Choosing the Right Sprinkler System will no longer be permitted for use as handrails, decking boards, picnic tables, or children's playground equipment in new installations. And in Japan, CCA treated lumber is generally not permitted any longer for public use in major cities for municipal projects.

Although there is apparently no firm scientific proof to support the contention that CCA timber , Garden Delights For Midsummer is harmful to health provided it is handled correctly, such cautions or bans have been instituted as a precautionary measure. Nevertheless it is always best to err on the side of safety, , Spring Wild Flowers so it is recommended that when working with CCA treated lumber, to apply protective clothing including goggles, face mask and gloves. CCA treated lumber also should never be burnt in an open fire , Sampler of Rare Fruits for Fun or Profit but must be disposed of according to local regulations. , Turn Your Patio Into A Voluminous Vegetable Garden

Fortunately a number of alternative wood , Wrought Iron Garden Benches treatment products , Japanese Beetles - The Plain Truth About Traps... And A Tiny New Winged Hope! to replace CCA are now available, the most common of which is probably ACQ (alkaline, copper, , Make The Most From Your Vegetable Garden quaternary). Such products , Worm Composting Bin use low toxicity, active ingredients such as recycled copper , Worm Composting Bin and modern organic , Birdfeeders & Birdhouses - The Perfect Outdoor Accessories biocides to give the lumber the required long-term protection against wood , Tips for Garden Decoration destroying fungi, termites and other wood , The Feng Shui of Trees eating insects. Although such products , Learn About Herb Gardening - Get the Natural Facts! have not been available for a sufficiently long time for extensive natural , Feed the Birds durability data to be collected, most manufacturers , Organic Gardening will provide at least 25 years guarantee on the life of treated lumber.

So if you wish to use a softwood species for your deck, , Spring Wild Flowers check what preservative treatments have been applied, and especially with the newer preservative treatment chemicals, ask what guarantee the lumber supplier is prepared to offer on the lifetime of the decking material. Although untreated softwoods typically have a very short life in exterior exposed conditions, if pressure treated with appropriate chemical, a softwood deck , Garden Delights For Midsummer will provide many years of continual use and enjoyment.

Malcolm Kay is the CEO of Intex Pacific Pty. Ltd. an international supplier of landscape , Tulips: Anything But Typical materials including modular decking tiles. , Landscaping, An American Pass Time For more information , Worm Composting Bin see http://www.swiftdeck.com

What's Inside
May Gardening Tips for the Southwest - Use Cypress mulch to help keep roots , How To Ensure Early Bulbs Bloom, Year After Year insulated from the HOT sun. , How to Grow Strawberries This helps keep moisture , Learn All About Feng Shui Money Trees in the root , Patio Furniture Accessories zone as well as the keeping weeds , Tillandsia "Airplants" - Don't Plant These Plants! down to a minimum.Lantana, red bird , houses of paradise, Oleander, and other winter , Making a New Lawn From Seed or Sod damaged plants , Ticks may be emergi...
Creating Low Maintenance Gardens - While no garden , A Portable Perennial is maintenance free, it is possible to create a garden , Lawn And Detergent, or Garden Soap, or with relatively few demands. Careful planning, proper plant , Gardening With Climbing Roses selection and thoughtful design , The Truth About MTD Snow Blowers are essential to creating a low maintenance landscape , Tips for Preparing a Planting Bed which retains a garden’s aest...
'Blushing Bride' Hydrangea (PPAF) - The Next Endless Summer , Teak Furniture - The Proper Way to Care For & Clean It HydrangeaIn 2003, Endless Summer , Benefits of Mulch Hydrangea was introduced by Minnesota's Bailey Nurseries and blew the gardening , The Feng Shui of Trees industry away! It blooms on both old and new wood , Garden Decor -- It Is More Than Just Decorations for repeat-blooming color , The Perfect Beginner Perennial Flower all season...
The Flower Drying Game - Part 3: An Affordable Home Flower-Press - We've finally reached the end of this 3-part series on drying flowers. , Revolutionary New Pond Combines Both Preformed Pond with Watercourse If you've gotten this far, you probably already know that small, home-style, do-it-yourself flower , Patio Accessories – Complete The Great Outdoors presses can be purchased in places , Discover the Single Most Important Trick to Overwintering Pond Fish like craft , Creativity with Ponds stores, well-stocked gift shops...
Organic Gardening - The Pros And Cons - Picture three ripe red tomatoes , Water Ponds and Wildlife - How To Attract More Animals to Your Backyard arranged on a wooden , Patio Furniture - Coordinating Cushions, Chairs, And Canopies cutting board awaiting your pleasure. They've each come from a different source: can you tell which one was grown organically?Two of the tomatoes , A Garden Pond in Your Landscape - Want Water in Your Yard? were lovingly tended in backyards , FREE: How You Can Make a Hypertufa Flowerpot - one i...
Fabric Hammocks - When one says hammock, one easily can visualize ultimate relaxation, leisure and procrastinating on a cool Sunday afternoon. Sounds good, but you need a hammock. There are many hammocks to choose from, and the fabric is the most important compone...
Yellow Headed Spruce Sawfly - Appearance:Yellowheaded spruce sawfly is a serious pest , Fleur De Lotus: Purity in a Sullied World in our area and is found in most types of spruce. Early July is when the olive green , Mower Safety - Blood On The Blade! larvae first appear and can be found on the branches of spruce. Generally speaking the larvae are s...
Caring for Your Garden Furniture - Wood is a natural , Robotic Lawn Mowers Keep Burglars Away material whose appearance will change , Tillandsia "Airplants" - Don't Plant These Plants! when left out of doors. , Swimming Pool Chemicals: Algaecides & Clarifiers The appearance of your furniture , Rugosa Roses - Fragrant, Tough and Handsome Shrub Roses will depend on how you look after it.Left on its own, the wood , Gardening as a Hobby in your furniture , The Secret to Pruning Apple Trees will naturally change colour , Control Weeds Effectively In Your Garden to a silver greyi...
History of the Adirondack Chair - If you were to travel to Blue , Edgeworthia Chrysantha Mountain Lake, New York, you would come across a very unique museum called the Adirondack Museum. According to experts that run this museum, the Adirondack chair , Abatement and Congregation of Material originally went by a different name - Westport chair, , Natural Garden Pest Control ...

Building a Deck – Things to Check if Using Softwood Species

Landscape Gardening

Seasonal Gardening