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What is Treated Pine?
Treated timber is highly versatile. It is used extensively both inside and outside houses and commercial buildings, and in landscaping.
Treatment is carried out by impregnation of the timber, under vacuum pressure, with CCA (Copper, Chromium and Arsenic) preservative in accordance with Australian Standards 1604-1997.
Why treat Pine?
Preservative treatment of pine provides long-term protection from decay fungi and termites that can attack and destroy untreated non-durable timbers. The use of treated pine for outdoor projects extends the service life of the structure through the improved durability of the timber itself. This maximises the efficient use of our pine plantation resource while reducing replacement and maintenance costs.
Handling and Safety
Although CCA preservatives are highly toxic to termites and decay fungi, treated timber can be used safely by humans.
Under normal circumstances, plants and animals in contact with CCA treated timber will be perfectly safe. Care should be taken with certain specific applications such as birdcages, beehives and fishponds.
As with any product, certain common sense precautions should be taken when handling and working with CCA treated timber.
- Wear gloves to avoid splinters.
- Wear a mask when machining treated wood to avoid inhalation of sawdust
- Wherever possible, machining of treated timber should be performed outside to avoid accumulations of airborne sawdust from treated wood inside
- Wear eye protection when machining and nailing treated timber
- Avoid sawdust exposure near food or food preparation areas
- Wash hands and face free of sawdust before eating, drinking or smoking
- Launder clothes with accumulations of treated wood sawdust separately
- Dispose of CCA treated off-cuts by burial in an approved landfill. CCA must not be burnt.
Working with CCA Treated Pine
CCA treated timber can be planned, chiseled, nailed or drilled just as easily as untreated timber. Carbide tipped saw blades are suggested when big projects are planned. Nails, plates and bolts should be hot-dip galvanized and/or stainless steel. Good building practices should always be utilised in the application of treated pine to ensure maximum stability and endurance.
Painting, Staining and Weathering
CCA treated timber can be left in it’s original form or painted or stained to suit individual preferences. Always ensure that treated pine is dry to equilibrium with its intended end use environment prior to applying all stains, paints or coatings.
CCA treated timber will weather naturally when exposed to the elements, eventually from it’s pale green colour to a pleasing driftwood grey. All timber exposed to the outdoors will have a natural tendency to warp, twist, cup and split due to the properties of the timber itself and the action of mechanical weathering caused by rain, wind and sun. Clear water repellent finishes can be applied to CCA treated timber to reduce the effects of weathering in the short term. Re-application of water repellent coatings every six months is recommended to be effective in reducing the effects of weathering over a prolonged period. |
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