My lumber guy told me the other day that treated lumber was getting ready to go through the roof .
The government is changing the requirements on what the lumber company uses to treat the lumber .
So naturally the consumer will pay the difference.
Ace hardware is my source of info

 

As of Jan. 1 lumber yards can only buy the new treated lumber somtimes referred to as ACQ and can no longer buy CCA treated.
Because of it being a new process the new treated will be more expensive but will probably come back down in time.

Hope that is what you were looking for.
Mike.

 

i don’t know where everyone is from but here west of Chicago there is an auction that is held 3-4 xs a year and they sell everything -- from tools to doors to windows and even allot of treated lumber -- i bought some last year building a deck and i paid about $1.25 -1.50 for 51/4 decking each 8 -12 footers

2X12X16 were about $2-3 each i think might have been less

and 4X4X12 were about $2-4 each most were perfect some well made good scrap

There in bundles from about 20 - 120 pieces

figure i saved allot

 

The new regulations call for elimination of the Arsenic (the a in cca) in the wood, which is replaced with lots and lots of Copper(the c in acq) as a treatment. And copper is $$$$$$$. I don't see the costs of the treated lumber going down unless the price of copper does.

 

we haven't had any price jumps yet and i work at a local lumber yard, and we only buy the new AC2 treated wood with no arsenic in it at all

 

I have heard there is a problem with the new ACQ or AC2, whatever it is, lumber. When it is nailed or screwed together with steel fasteners the fasteners corrode away super fast. This leads to decks collapsing, -safe for the environment, dangerous to humans

I guess they found out when the staples that hold the little tags on the ends of the boards corroded away.

 

Built the swingset for the kids out of AC2 about 2 years ago- it was a few dollars more for the whole project (say 10%).

Seems to hold up fine- have to look for signs of fastner failure when I get home.

 

Here is some info on the ACQ:
http://www.osmose.com/wood/usa/prese...on/default.asp

 

Great link! the first words are:

==========================
Use corrosion-resistant Fasteners- NatureWood preserved wood products are designed for long-term performance in outdoor applications and therefore, require high quality, corrosion-resistant nails, screws and hardware. Fasteners (and other metal products) for use with NatureWood preserved wood products include:
- Hot-Dip galvanized*
Fastener and hardware manufacturers have suggested the minimum Hot-Dip galvanized requirements for use with treated wood should conform to the following ASTM Standards: ASTM-A153 (for Hot-Dip fastener products) and ASTM-A653 (Coating Designation G-185 for Hot-Dip connector and sheet products).
- Stainless Steel
Stainless steel fasteners and connectors are required for Permanent Wood Foundations below grade and are recommended for use with treated wood in other severe exterior applications such as swimming pools, salt water exposure, etc. –Type 304 and 316 are the recommended grades to use.
- Other fasteners and hardware as recommended by the manufacturer
There may be additional products (other than stainless steel or hot-dip galvanized) which are suitable for use with NatureWood treated wood. Please consult with the individual fastener or hardware manufacturer for recommendations for use of their products with NatureWood treated wood.
- Aluminum should not be used in direct contact with NatureWood treated wood
Spacer materials or other physical barriers are recommended to prevent direct contact of NatureWood treated wood and aluminum products. When using NatureWood preserved wood in close proximity to aluminum products, such as aluminum siding, flashing, furniture, and door and window frames, a ¼” minimum spacing must be allowed for between the NatureWood and the aluminum products. Another option is to use a polyethylene barrier, with a minimum thickness of 10 mils, between the NatureWood preserved wood and the aluminum product to prevent direct contact of the wood and the aluminum. ...

==================

I guess the stuff is corrosive

 

I guess so. I had to cover some alum. flashing on a porch with ice guard before we could butt the acq framing up to it.

We'll adapt, I guess.

 

If it is loaded with copper I won't want to use it around gardens. Plants don't seem to like copper much...

 

Doing away with the pressure treated stuff has sure made our cedar business boom.We couldn't compete with the old pressure treated lumber,but lately we can't keep up.All natural seems to be a good seller these days.Makes a nice looking deck also.

 

Cedar ROCKS! Our 40 yr old house has rough hewn cedar siding and the siding reps who call just hang up when I tell them what covers the house. Remember that when the siding guy calls and says they'll be in your neighborhood this week!