"Martin Richards" wrote in message
...
Skimming the scary thread about the procedures for pressure treating
timber
prompts me to ask something I've been pondering for a few days. I want
to
build a planter/raised bed sort of thingummy* at the side of the house to
liven up an area that's currently used for the bins and not much more.
It
gets some sun at this time of year, but is pretty cool and damp the rest
of
the time, so the timber's got to be able to put up with some less than
ideal
conditions, even before it's full of soil.

Any thoughts on what to use, both wood-wise and as a treatment? I'd
wondered about using decking or something similar simply for the ease of
obtaining it, though I confess I've not got as far as a detailed
investigation of B&Q, let alone the local timber merchants to see what
the
options are. I'd also wondered about lining the planter with plastic to
protect the wood from the soil, but it sounds like it might also be good
for
protecting the soil from the wood!

Cheers,

Martin.

The timber yard I work at offers three treatments of which only one would
probably be suitable. The CCA (Chrome, Copper, Arsenic) is most definately
not something I would want anywhere near my garden. There is a VAC-VAC
treatment which is spirit based which may be safe but offers little long
term protection - it just kills anything in the wood and then evaporates.
The one that may be suitable is AC500 which is a copper-chrome treatment.
We had it installed because CCA is outlawed next year. We have a playground
company that buys from us because the treatment is supposedly safe for wood
licking/chewing kids so it is likely to be safe for plants. Check with
whatever supplier you intend to buy from as to what treatment has been
used. If they don't know find another supplier. They may say pressure
treated ask what type, all treatmens are done under vacuum/pressure