Safe wood

[Crazyshot97]

So, almost done with my half in half out raised wooden pond. I plan to cap it once the liner is in with a wood “rim”

Does anyone know if the pressure treated wood of today is safe to use? I wonder about rain hitting the cap of the pond and running into it. I worry about the same thing with regard to a bog I plan to build along the back

 

[mrsclem]

I would find out what brand of treated wood you plan on getting and do some research. Maybe consider some of the synthetic wood products available. I use Trex to top my ponds.

 

[poconojoe]

The composite lumber is a good idea. Trex looks nice, lasts forever and it's easy to work with. The cap is just decorative, not structural, so no worries there.
I can see your concern with the PT lumber. I would look into it. Years ago that stuff was impregnated with arsenic, but I'm pretty sure they have changed that.
A lot of people use cap stones. If there's a nursery or quarry supply near you, you might find something you like. Probably more expensive than wood or trex, but looks rich and solid.

 

[Crazyshot97]

I would find out what brand of treated wood you plan on getting and do some research. Maybe consider some of the synthetic wood products available. I use Trex to top my ponds.

The composite lumber is a good idea. Trex looks nice, lasts forever and it's easy to work with. The cap is just decorative, not structural, so no worries there.
I can see your concern with the PT lumber. I would look into it. Years ago that stuff was impregnated with arsenic, but I'm pretty sure they have changed that.
A lot of people use cap stones. If there's a nursery or quarry supply near you, you might find something you like. Probably more expensive than wood or trex, but looks rich and solid.

I think the composite wood is a great idea for the cap to the pond itself. But I don’t know how that would work for the bog along the top, as that’s going to be holding a substantial amount of weight with water and substrate

 

[Nevermore44]

The standard PT wood is copper based. My pond is surrounded with It for the past 10 years. The cap on my is 2x8 and then a 2x2 piece actually hangs down towards the water. This covers any site of the liner. Mine is at ground level though.

 

[Crazyshot97]

The standard PT wood is copper based. My pond is surrounded with It for the past 10 years. The cap on my is 2x8 and then a 2x2 piece actually hangs down towards the water. This covers any site of the liner. Mine is at ground level though.

Very interesting. Any issues you’ve noticed with fish? Did you prep the wood in any way? Some say that it’s potentially a problem, and then some people like yourself have done it and don’t face any issues. Very confusing. But I definitely see more accounts of it working fine than I do of people facing repercussions from it (I’ve seen no stories of confirmed poisoning of a pond due to PT wood)

 

[Jhn]

Have 6x6 pressure treated wood actually in my large pond holding up a bridge for going on 10 years now with no issues. Also have another pond with it as framing , as the pond is only partially buried in the ground. it is going on 3 years old and the inhabitants are doing fine. Currently redoing and enlarging my bog, using 6x6 treated lumber as a frame for it, personally I am not concerned with it, although this bog portion the wood will not contact the water.

Pressure treated lumber treatment is copper based that is available for homeowners at retail lumber suppliers, none of which is rated for ground contact. Contractors can still get CCA (Arsenic and copper treated) lumber, direct from the lumber treatment plant/ suppliers. This is the stuff that can contact the ground with out rotting for a long period of time. The only lumber that is strictly copper based for everyone be it contractor or homeowner is 2x and under as it is what consistently contacts human skin, so it is no longer treated with arsenic.

 

[Crazyshot97]

Have 6x6 pressure treated wood actually in my large pond holding up a bridge for going on 10 years now with no issues. Also have another pond with it as framing , as the pond is only partially buried in the ground. it is going on 3 years old and the inhabitants are doing fine. Currently redoing and enlarging my bog, using 6x6 treated lumber as a frame for it, personally I am not concerned with it, although this bog portion the wood will not contact the water.

Pressure treated lumber treatment is copper based that is available for homeowners at retail lumber suppliers, none of which is rated for ground contact. Contractors can still get CCA (Arsenic and copper treated) lumber, direct from the lumber treatment plant/ suppliers. This is the stuff that can contact the ground with out rotting for a long period of time. The only lumber that is strictly copper based for everyone be it contractor or homeowner is 2x and under as it is what consistently contacts human skin, so it is no longer treated with arsenic.

Good to know. And as far as I know nothing available at stores like Home Depot and Lowe’s contains arsenic anymore? I built the frame out of 4x4’s labeled ground contact from Home Depot, as I understood it these were just treated the new way, not with arsenic. I could be wrong

 

[Jhn]

Correct nothing at HD or Lowe’s has arsenic In it. Got ya, I am a contractor so I don’t use any treated wood from Home Depot as there wood isn’t the greatest quality (#2 pine)And is treated lighter than what I can get it. Hopefully, the 4x4’s hold up for you.

Really the concern over the arsenic treatment is overblown for homeowners. Once the wood drys out your not really going to get it in your body just from walking barefoot on it. Now for contractors cutting it without some type of mask or respirator and inhaling the sawdust is a different story.

 

[Crazyshot97]

Correct nothing at HD or Lowe’s has arsenic In it. Got ya, I am a contractor so I don’t use any treated wood from Home Depot as there wood isn’t the greatest quality (#2 pine)And is treated lighter than what I can get it. Hopefully, the 4x4’s hold up for you.

Really the concern over the arsenic treatment is overblown for homeowners. Once the wood drys out your not really going to get it in your body just from walking barefoot on it. Now for contractors cutting it without some type of mask or respirator and inhaling the sawdust is a different story.

Sounds just like asbestos! But ok great, thanks. I think I’m just gonna use the PT wood and hope for the best. I’m not putting anything expensive in the pond so ittl be alright.

Any other experiences tho I’m happy to hear. Not building for a week or two. Thanks everyone

 

[GBBUDD]

Sounds just like asbestos! But ok great, thanks. I think I’m just gonna use the PT wood and hope for the best. I’m not putting anything expensive in the pond so ittl be alright.

Any other experiences tho I’m happy to hear. Not building for a week or two. Thanks everyone

Pressure treated lumber is CRAP it splinters cracks and feathers, forget about leaching of chemicals go look at anyone who has a pressure treated deck and SLIDE your hand down the hand rail... splinter city not to mention when the wood is newer it will get infected... There are MANY other products today.. Trex is a good long term material but some sort of blind nail system is preferred due to any screws that penetrate the material the material will swell showing the fasteners that much more ... You can plug Trex which is definitely a better option it requires some time but not to bad overall finish is much better... MY choice is Mahogany now some may say thats crazy expensive point is it is now more then Trex It has natural rot resistance not a miracle wood by any chance but it will last 20 years Use trim head stainless steel screws and plug the hole and you will not regret the time spent. Two other woods that are great but get very pricey are epay and teak those can be ordered from any good lumber yard but they are very pricey. Yes i said it twice because guess what they are very pricey but amazingly beautiful and last a long time if you place them or runners / shimes keep the board from sitting completely on the nailing surface by being secured to strips and a trim board installed on the sides to hide the build up The detail will only add to the quality of the finished product.

 

[Crazyshot97]

Pressure treated lumber is CRAP it splinters cracks and feathers, forget about leaching of chemicals go look at anyone who has a pressure treated deck and SLIDE your hand down the hand rail... splinter city not to mention when the wood is newer it will get infected... There are MANY other products today.. Trex is a good long term material but some sort of blind nail system is preferred due to any screws that penetrate the material the material will swell showing the fasteners that much more ... You can plug Trex which is definitely a better option it requires some time but not to bad overall finish is much better... MY choice is Mahogany now some may say thats crazy expensive point is it is now more then Trex It has natural rot resistance not a miracle wood by any chance but it will last 20 years Use trim head stainless steel screws and plug the hole and you will not regret the time spent. Two other woods that are great but get very pricey are epay and teak those can be ordered from any good lumber yard but they are very pricey. Yes i said it twice because guess what they are very pricey but amazingly beautiful and last a long time if you place them or runners / shimes keep the board from sitting completely on the nailing surface by being secured to strips and a trim board installed on the sides to hide the build up The detail will only add to the quality of the finished product.

Unfortunately I already built the frame out of treated 4x4's, hopefully they hold up well enough. I've been looking into cedar. I will also look into mahogany. Thanks

 

[Jhn]

Think GBBUDD is talking about just your cap over the wood not your 4x4’s if you went with some type of hardwood for 4x4’s it would be crazy expensive. Agree for the cap would use something else other than PT lumber (especially if you are getting it from HD and Lowe’s), there 2x pt lumber is a different level of crap.

While the hardwoods look great when initially installed if not cleaned and sealed every year the will age and grey looking like old pine boards over time but you won’t have splinters and the earlier rot issues.

Have used all those various woods when building piers for customers, only issue with going away from pt pine boards is everything else scratches up and doesnt look great after a few years. So most of our customers don’t want the extra expense and then worry about scratching up their expensive pier decking. Decks Around a house though would definitely not use pressure treated lumber, for the previous mentioned reasons.

 

[GBBUDD]

Yes just as a cap and yes if left alone it will weather a silvery gray even teak needs maintenance... Yes docks get hammered by the marina and the public as a cap around a raised pond i would put my money on mahogany .