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POWER STROKE
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Is it ok to use treated lumber for raised garden beds?
I am just starting to get into gardening and want to do raised beds. Is it ok to use treated lumber.
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hendi_alex
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Treated lumber has gotten more and more safe over the years. The days of arsenic penetrated lumber are long gone. I would not use reclaimed treated lumber for the beds, but we used new treated lumber for all of our current beds. I have a few beds that have the old arsenic treated wood, but they are lined, and will be replacing them soon. I do line my beds with landscape fabric so that the soil is not in direct contact with the lumber, but don't really think that such is necessary, is just an extra measure of precaution.
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POWER STROKE
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hendi_alex wrote:Treated lumber has gotten more and more safe over the years. The days of arsenic penetrated lumber are long gone. I would not use reclaimed treated lumber for the beds, but we used new treated lumber for all of our current beds. I have a few beds that have the old arsenic treated wood, but they are lined, and will be replacing them soon. I do line my beds with landscape fabric so that the soil is not in direct contact with the lumber, but don't really think that such is necessary, is just an extra measure of precaution.
Thank you for your reply and very helpful info.
- PowerStroke
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hendi_alex
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- Joined: Sun Jul 06, 2008 7:58 am
- Location: Central Sand Hills South Carolina
I researched this about a year ago, so don't remember the exact details, but a quick google will give lots of hits that discuss the transformation of pressure treated wood preservatives.
In 2004 companies quit using the copper arsenate compound for ordinary consumer use. They still mostly use copper compounds, but from what I've read, they are much less safer than the old arsenic compound. You may remember that the old treated wood had a very green color to it. It appears to me that they reformulated yet again last year, as in going to Lowes, there was an obvious transition from moderately green colored lumber (because of the particular copper compound used in treating) to lumber that looks more naturally colored. It is my guess, though I have not researched, that the change last year was to an even more benign compound for treatment. There has been lots of research into this issue, and since 2004 there seems to have been a good effort put into developing safer preservative agents for the treatment of lumber.
In 2004 companies quit using the copper arsenate compound for ordinary consumer use. They still mostly use copper compounds, but from what I've read, they are much less safer than the old arsenic compound. You may remember that the old treated wood had a very green color to it. It appears to me that they reformulated yet again last year, as in going to Lowes, there was an obvious transition from moderately green colored lumber (because of the particular copper compound used in treating) to lumber that looks more naturally colored. It is my guess, though I have not researched, that the change last year was to an even more benign compound for treatment. There has been lots of research into this issue, and since 2004 there seems to have been a good effort put into developing safer preservative agents for the treatment of lumber.