• Step 1. Know The Difference in Lumber Before You Buy

Not only does lumber come in different sizes, it comes in different grades, species, and treatments.  These differences affect the price, appearance, and proper use of the lumber.

When buying lumber, be sure to get wood that's suited to your needs.

• Step 2. Make Sure You Buy Treated Wood That is Dry.

At Witt, we think you should evaluate a lumber product by answering two questions: Is it safe? And, how well does it perform season after season?  On both counts, DuraPine® dry-treated lumber by Cox is superior.

After CCA-treated Southern Pine is pressure treated, the fibers are saturated with chemical and moisture.  Be re-drying the lumber, Cox assures you of maximum chemical fixation in the wood.  The result: a higher quality lumber product that is safer for the environment.

Because all treated lumber shrinks as it dries, Cox is able to control that shrinkage at the treatment plant.  That way, any normal shrinkage occurs before it reaches the lumber yard, not after your build your project.

As a result, Cox Durapine® has greater strength and stability.  It's more uniform in size, and reduces warping, twisting, and cupping.  That means your nails or screws have better holding power.  So your structure keeps its integrity and its looks far longer.  You can paint or stain immediately, without waiting for the lumber to dry, unlike standard treated wood that is still wet from treatment.

• Step 3. Handling and Use Recommendation EPA-Approved Consumer Information Sheet

This wood has been preserved by treatment with an EPA-registered pesticide containing inorganic arsenic to protect it from termite attack and decay.  Wood treated with inorganic arsenic should be used only where such protection is important.

Inorganic arsenic penetrates deeply into and remains in the pressure-treated wood for a long time.  Exposure to inorganic arsenic may present certain hazards.  Therefore, the following precautions should be taken both when handling the treated wood and in determining where to use the treated wood.

• Step 4. Construction Tips
  
  

  • Before you begin nailing, lay out your lumber with the best looking face exposed.  Decide which pieces you will want for decking and visible accessories and which pieces for understructure.

  • The lumber you buy may not have perfectly squared off ends.  For best appearance, re-square and trim the ends of boards after nailing.  In figuring the size of your deck, allow 3" for this trimming.

  • Always nail a thinner member to a thicker board.

  • Drive nails at a slight angle toward each other for greater holding power.

  • When toenailing, stagger opposing nails so they pass each other.

  • Nails and other hardware should be hot-dipped zinc-coated or equally well-protected material.  Otherwise, weather may cause them to rust, leaving streaks on your deck.

  • For maximum holding power, use ring- or spiral-shank nails.  They can help reduce warping of lumber.

  • To reduce splitting, drill a pilot hole about three quarters the diameter of the nail.  For dense or brittle wood, grind sharpness from nails or blunt the points by striking them carefully with a hammer.  Blunt nails cut through; sharp ones pry apart. Power "nailers" are not recommended.

  • Place nails no closer to the edge than about half the board thickness and no closer to the end than the thickness of the board.  When nailing closer to an edge, pre-drill holes.

  • Use 12d nails on nominal two-inch decking.  Use two at each joist with 2 x 4's laid flat; use three for 2 x6's laid flat.  For 5/4 decking, use 10d nails.

• Step 5. Maintenance Tips

DuraPine® by Cox is pressure-treated with Wolman® CCA preservative that provides lasting protection against termites and decay.  However, when wood is exposed to the elements, it will age (change color), pick up moisture (in humid or rainy weather), and give off moisture (on hot, sunny, windy days).  The effects of this exposure can damage the wood if left unprotected.

• To protect your wood from weather damage, a regular maintenance program is recommended.  The frequency of maintenance will vary depending on climate and exposure.
• When you project is completed, we recommend that you apply a water repellent coating.  This will restrict the movement of moisture into and out of the wood, and will help minimize swelling and shrinking.  It will also reduce the severity of checking, scaling, and cracking that can result from such movement.  If you are using DuraPine® Outdoor® Wood with built-in Wolman® Extra® water repellent, you can skip the initial coating.
• We suggest, at minimum, a yearly application of topical water repellent.
• If your deck shows signs of surface mold or mildew, we suggest cleaning it with one of the commercially available deck cleaners prior to the applications of water repellent.
• To prolong the original appearance of your wood, we recommend that you apply a coating which contains ultraviolet light inhibitors and biocides that restrict the growth of surface mold and mildew.

Use Site Precautions for CCA Pressure-Treated Wood.

• Exposed wood pressure-treated with waterbone arsenical preservatives may be used inside residences as long as all dust is vacuumed from the wood surface.
  
  

• Do not use treated wood under circumstances where the preservative may become a component of food or animal feed.  Examples of such sites would be structures or containers for storing silage or food.
  
  

• Do not use treated wood for cutting boards or countertops.
  
  

• Only treated wood that is visibly clean and free of surface residue should be used for patios, decks, and walkways.
  
  

• Do not use treated wood for construction of those portions of beehives which may come into contact with the honey.
  
  

• Treated wood should not be used when it may come into direct or indirect contact with public drinking water, except for uses involving incidental contact such as docks and bridges.

Handling Precautions for CCA Pressure-Treated Wood

• Dispose of treated wood by ordinary trash collection or burial.  Treated wood should not be burned in open fires or in stoves or fireplaces because toxic chemicals may be produced as part of the some and ashes.  Large quantities of treated wood from commercial or industrial use (e.g., construction sites) may be burned in commercial or industrial incinerators in accordance with state and federal regulations.
  
  

• Avoid frequent or prolonged inhalation of sawdust from treated wood.  When sawing and machining treated wood, wear a dust mask.  Whenever possible, these operations should be performed outdoors to avoid indoor accumulations of airborne sawdust from treated wood.
  
  

• When power-sawing and machining, wear goggles to protect eyes from flying particles.
  
  

• Wash exposed areas thoroughly after skin contact, and before eating, drinking or use of tobacco products.
  
  

• If preservatives or sawdust accumulates on clothes, launder before reuse.  Wash work clothes separately from other household cleaning.