In article ,
Pat Meadows writes:
| On Mon, 7 Apr 2003 18:41:10 -0700, bill
| wrote:
|
| Does anyone know how long one might expect *untreated*
| lumber to last when in contact with the ground?
|
| Around here, about 2 years. Enough time for the termites to find it
| and eat it.
|
| I'm unlikely to have that problem, there seem to be very few
| of them around here from all I've heard. We're in the
| northern Appalachians and it's pretty cold here in winter,
| maybe that's what keeps them away. I don't know.

It is. We don't have them here, either, but untreated sapwood
(except for yew) will rot to breakage within 12 months, and untreated
heartwood of most non-tropical species (again, except for yew) will
within 3-4 years. Some of the species Bob mentioned are imported
into the UK, and they don't last long in that situation.

But remember that our damp problems are MUCH worse than yours :-(

The key is that we have 3-6 months with comfortably above freezing
temperatures and continual 100% humidity (at soil level), though
with enough air for the fungi to thrive. And they do. There are
only a couple of important wood-eating insects in the UK, and they
aren't in the same ballpark as termites.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.