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Claiborne Parish Watershed District

WHAT LUMBER SHOULD YOU USE FOR OUTDOOR CONSTRUCTION?

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Summary of EPA's Fact Sheet:

'What You Need to Know About Wood Pressure Treated with Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA)'

As of January 1, 2004, under EPA regulations, manufacturers have ceased production of Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA) products to treat wood intended for most residential settings.

Some uses of CCA-treated wood are permitted: for example, Wood Used on Farms (round agriculture poles and posts, including farm-fence rails, but not wooden stakes) and shakes and Shingles ("tile batts" -- strips used in roofing).

** Generally, if your deck has not been constructed with redwood or cedar, then most likely the deck was constructed with CCA-treated wood.

**If you're not sure what type of wood you have, check with your supplier and look for an end tag. The back of the tag should have a quality mark similar to the one above that identifies its treatment content.

** EPA does not recommend that consumers replace or remove existing structures made with CCA-treated wood or the soil surrounding those structures. Concerned citizens may want to take extra precautions, however, by applying a coating to exposed surfaces on a regular basis.

** Remaining inventories of CCA-treated wood may still be stocked, sold, and installed until supplies run out.

Because arsenic is a known human carcinogen, EPA believes that any reduction in the levels of potential exposure to arsenic is desirable. Moreover, arsenic is acutely toxic upon excessive exposure.

Arsenic slowly leaches from CCA-treated wood products. Homeowners should not use CCA-treated wood where routine contact with food or animal feed can occur or where treated wood may come into direct or indirect contact with drinking water, except for uses involving incidental contact with docks or bridges. CCA-treated wood can be disposed of with regular municipal trash, but not yard waste, and it should never be burned or used as compost or mulch. Approximately 90 percent of industrial arsenic in the United States is currently used as a wood preservative, but it is also used in paints, dyes, metals, and semiconductors. CCA has been the principal chemical used to treat wood for decks and other outdoor uses around the home, including walkways, fences, gazebos, boat docks, and playground equipment.

Alternative EPA-registered preservatives, including alkaline copper quat, copper azole, and borates, differ in cost, availability, corrosiveness, and susceptibility to exposure to weather and water. Homeowners might also consider, in place of CCA-treated wood, untreated wood (e.g., cedar and redwood) and nonwood alternatives, such as plastics, metal, and composite materials, are available. A local hardware store or lumberyard can provide more information on available alternatives.

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From 'New Alternatives to CCA-Treated Lumber' By Katy Tomasulo

Publication Date: May/June 2004
http://www.toolsofthetrade.net/articles/showarticle.asp?articleID=2115&position=1&type=
article&partID=1

THREE ALTERNATIVES

Alternative Chemical Treatment

Copper azole is an available treatment. It is sold by Arch Wood Protection under the Wolmanized Natural Select brand name.Copper makes the woodresistant to termites and most fungi, while azole, a mild organic fungicide, is effective for fungi that are tolerant of copper.

The most common (according to one reviewer) alternative treatment is ACQ (alkaline copper quat), which is manufactured by Osmose under the NatureWood brand name and by Chemical Specialties under the name Preserve. ACQ protects the wood from rot, decay, and termites. It can be used in above ground, ground contact, and fresh water applications," says Dave Fowlie, vice president of sales and business development for Chemical Specialties.

Advantages:

Look similar to CCA (so read the end tags and verify deliveries with your supplier)
Are said to perform the same (carry the same warranty; installers should use the same handling precautions as they did with CCA).

Major differences with copper azole and ACQ versus CCA:

Price, which is about 10% to 20% more than CCA-treated wood;
More corrosive than CCA, raising concerns about how fasteners and hardware will hold up over time (see Tomasulo's 'Corrosion with Newer Treatments' discussion below).

Borate-treated lumber is another treated alternative that's been gaining popularity since the phase-out began because it's less expensive than ACQ and copper azole. In addition, borates are less corrosive and may not require contractors to change fasteners, unless regulated by codes
or recommended by manufacturers, so they are becoming a good choice for sill plates. According to Tarun Bhatia, business improvement manager for Borax, manufacturers can file evaluation reports that create exceptions to the code to allow standard fasteners for use with their borate-treated products. Borates (available under the SillBor name from Arch and Advance Guard from Osmose, among other products) are limited to applications where they will notbe exposed to weather and water.

USPL is awaiting BOCA approval on an HDPE product that can be used structurally, a breakthrough already being used commercially.

Hardwoods

Ee.g. Redwood, Cedar

Plastic and composite lumber alternatives

Installers have a range of choices in style and color that mimic the look of wood, but offer low maintenance.

CORROSION WITH NEWER TREATMENTS

While the new lumber has proven as effective against bugs and decay as CCA, testing shows
that ACQ and copper azole are more corrosive than CCA, raising concerns about how
fasteners and hardware will hold up over time. If you don't know whether your suppliers have
switched over and you're using standard fasteners, go outside and check right now.

Generally, treatment manufacturers are recommending a minimum of stainless steel fasteners or hot-dipped galvanized fasteners that meet ASTM A153 standards and connectors that meet ASTM A653 Class G185 sheet or better, as well as fasteners tested and recommended by individual fastener manufacturers.

Last month (June, 2004) Arch Wood Protection updated its recommendations for sill plates, and now says, "While galvanized fasteners are preferable, the use of non-galvanized nails of sizes and types approved by the Model Code is acceptable when attaching joists, studs, or other framing to Wolmanized Natural Select sill plate, provided the wood will remain dry in service, protected from weather and water."

Each company has recommendations specific to their own products. Some fastener makers are still wary of the potential for degradation and are pointing contractors toward stainless steel; others have developed product lines specifically for the new lumber. To be sure, consult with your fastener supplier before switching to the new treatment.

"You're getting a product that has different chemicals that consumers are comfortable with, but it is a new thing. The treaters have to be more careful in the treating and builders have to be a little more careful in how they use this stuff," says Huck DeVenzio, manager of marketing communications for Arch Wood Protection. "If you follow our recommendations, you shouldn't have any problems."

But with all the discussion over the fasteners, these changes are actually not "new" at all. The recommendations for ACQ and copper azole are the same that treatment manufacturers were advising for CCA, says Al Heberer, national marketing manager for Osmose. The difference now
is that contractors who weren't abiding by the guidelines definitely need to follow them now. "If every contractor was using what we recommended for CCA, there would have been no issue whatsoever because they would have been using hot-dipped or stainless steel," he says "...

The builder must now be careful to know what he's got, and make sure that the box of fasteners he's getting says, 'Approved for use with ACQ.'"

In addition, since 2000, the International Residential Code has stated that pressure-treated products must be fastened with stainless steel, hot-dipped galvanized, silicon bronze, or copper fasteners, with the exception of 1/2-inch diameter or greater steel bolts.

Greg Hutchison, a building official for Ca¤on City, Colo., says that he has been handing out
information on the regulations and enforcing them since his district adopted the 2000 IRC in
2002. Sometimes it can be hard to verify that the proper fasteners are being used, he says, but
now that the transition has been made to ACQ, they'll be keeping an eye out for proper fasteners
even more.

Switch Up
Whether you're already using the right fasteners or you need to make the switch, the first step is
to know what wood you're getting from your suppliers. Some proactive lumber dealers are
posting signs and handing out information, but others may not be emphasizing the gravity of the
situation enough. ACQ- and CCA-treated lumber products look almost identical, so make sure you know if your suppliers have made the switch. If you're unsure, ask your lumber dealer or check the label on the wood.

Michael Davis, owner of Framing Square in Albuquerque, N.M., has been following the situation
very closely, so when his lumber dealer casually mentioned that an incoming delivery contained
ACQ, Davis knew he had to get new fasteners to his crews fast. But he didn't have any pneumatic galvanized nails, so his piece crews had to hand nail and automatically charged him 7 cents more per square foot. "If I hadn't known about it already, I would have said, 'Oh, a different kind of [treated lumber]. OK, fine, thanks, talk to you later.' And we would have been building something that potentially could have fallen apart," Davis says.

Davis is still researching a permanent plan for how to replace CCA, including using borates, but
for now is installing ACQ with the double-galvanized gun nails recommended by his area
fastener supplier.

Contractors around the country are making similar adjustments, with solutions that vary from
switching fasteners to specing new wood.

For Ken Shifflett, the problem is amplified because his company, Ace Carpentry in Manassas,
Va., serves as a builder, a framing contractor, and a deck and porch builder, which means three
separate strategies. As a builder, Shifflett is using borates for his sill plates. For decks, the
company is using copper azole and double-dipped galvanized nails for deck joists and posts and
composite planks for the decking. As a framing contractor, Shifflett must adjust to what the
builder is supplying, usually ACQ. His installers are using galvanized double-dipped nails in the
ACQ, starting from the slab all the way up to the underside of the first deck plywood, including
all of the basement walls; sill plates are attached with galvanized cut nails and Teco nails to
foundation straps. "From a logistics and coordination point of view, it's a pain in the butt,"
Shifflett says. "You have to monitor that stuff all the time."

In addition to ensuring that you are using the right fasteners, also be aware that there are a number of other no-nos with treated lumber products. The Southern Pine Council warns that installers should not use standard carbon-steel or aluminum in direct contact with pressure treated wood. Simpson Strong-Tie also reminds installers not to mix hot-dipped galvanized and stainless steel fasteners and connectors.

Joe Di Medio of Di Medio Lime, a cinder block manufacturer and lumber supplier in Camden, N.J., says his company is boosting its supply of copper flashing in response to the changes.

Rather than switching to copper flashing, Tom Cifelli, vice president of purchasing for All-tech, a carpentry contracting company in Jamesburg, N.J., has changed the wood products he uses for decks, switching to cedar or redwood ledger boards. The company was already using hot-dipped galvanized nails for pressure treated lumber, but did adjust its hangers to meet the new recommendations. "We've been preparing our company since last summer, trying to answer any possible questions or concerns that will be occurring ahead of time," he says.

For sill plates, Cifelli switched to Trus Joist's TimberStrand LSL, an engineered, borate-treated sill plate.

Another area to be aware of is choosing the right fasteners for driving through multiple types of
metal, says Joe Lincourt, vice president of copper flashing maker York Mfg. Lincourt
recommends that installers confused by metal reaction first consult the galvanic scale, which can
help determine which metals will react more with each other based on where they fall on the
scale. For example, copper and aluminum are far apart on the scale, and therefore are more likely to react. "The first thing they have to know is, 'Do I or do I not have a problem,'" Lincourt says. "The galvanic scale will tell you if you have a problem and you need to go find an answer." If you have an aluminum sliding door, copper flashing, and ACQ lumber, for instance, you have a potential problem. York offers a copper flashing product with a paper facing to serve as a buffer between the aluminum and the copper. From there, you can consult your fastener supplier to find out what kind of coated fastener will work in all three materials simultaneously.

Rising Costs

Along with logistical issues, builders are facing cost increases as a result of the changes,
with higher price tags on the lumber (with the exception of borates) versus CCA, higher
fastener costs, and, if you've got production crews using two types of nails, a higher price
on labor. "First of all, the fasteners we're buying are probably in the range of four times
as expensive as what we're normally used to," says Davis. " We do a lot of piece work.
We're seeing an increase in our piece costs because the piece workers can't go as fast
because they've got to change fasteners and change tools."
And cost is one more reason to make sure you're educating your customers, because it
could cost you a bid. "I know a little bit more about it than a lot of people, and I'm aware
of it. And so I'm including the correct materials and procedures in my quotes," Davis says.
"But, actually I think it's probably hurting me a little bit in some regard because people
look at some of these quotes and say 'Gee, you're higher than this guy. What's the
problem?'"

RESOURCES

As chemical formulations change and building codes are updated, the treated lumber-fastener issue most likely will remain in the spotlight forsome time. If you're doing initial research or if you want to keep up on the latest developments, check out some of these resources on the Web.

For articles on treated lumber, new information, and links other Web sites, visit the Corrosion Alert area of our home page.

The treated lumber issue remains something you need to keep up on because it will
continue to change, both as chemical formulations adjust and as fastener requirements
become more defined by manufacturers and in building codes. You should continue to
check with your suppliers for changes. In addition, most of the manufacturers and related
associations have updated information on their Web sites (see "Resources sidebar").
And most importantly, pass the information on to your crews. Monitor them and make
sure they're using the right fasteners for the right applications.
"It's a headache a lot of people don't even know they've got yet," says Davis. "It's going to
be amazing down the road six months from now when builders wake up and realize they've
built their last 20 or 30 houses with ACQ and they don't know whether or not the right
fasteners were used. There's going to be some sleepless nights."
Katy Tomasulo
http://www.toolsofthetrade.net/articles/showarticle.asp?articleID=2115&position=1&type=
article&partID=1

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Information sources:
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/chemicals/cca_qa.htm

Information on alternatives to CCA-treated wood:

If you're not sure what type of wood you have, check with your supplier and look for an end tag.
The back of the tag should have a quality mark similar to the one above that identifies its
treatment content. http://www.toolsofthetrade.net/articles/showarticle.asp?articleID=2115&position=1&type=article
&partID=1

MORE LINKS
LOUISIANA & CLAIBORNE PARISH SITES
U.S. Geological Survey: Water Resources of Louisiana
LA Dept. of Transportation & Development -- Water
Groundwater Atlas: LA, AR & MSKitsatchie National Forest
Lake Claiborne Data (Lake Height; Precipitation-over time)
Louisiana Department of Environmental Resources