<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:small">Re the question of preservation of new deck, in our part of the world you <u>never</u> put gravel at the base of a post. Our ground is primarily clay which means water that is collected at the base sits there. Much better to put the post in the soil alone.<br>
<br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:small">Moreover, the parts underneath, where the wood makes contact with other wood needs to be protected or it simply won't last.<br>
<br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:small">So it depends, no one solution will work for everyone. Use affordable wood that is resistant to water and the elements; for us here in Kansas the best choice is Cypress. Redwood and Cedar cost too much. We use Hedge (Osage Orange) for the posts; these will last far longer than any of us live. I would build a house on Hedge posts. We use star-headed, self driving torx screws for putting it all together.<br>
<br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:small">Were we in the East we might use Black Locust for the posts.<br><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:small">
Sacie<br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Feb 18, 2014 at 12:38 PM, Reuben Deumling <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:9watts@gmail.com" target="_blank">9watts@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr"><br><div class="gmail_extra"><br><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div class="">On Mon, Feb 17, 2014 at 8:47 AM, John Salmen <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:terrain@shaw.ca" target="_blank">terrain@shaw.ca</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div link="blue" vlink="purple" lang="EN-CA"><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">I’m still convinced the best treatment for exterior wood is no treatment - considering that untreated wood degrades from atmosphere at most about ¼” per century – and the natural grey is nice. </span></p>
</div></div></blockquote><div><br></div></div><div>That has been my approach to date. But I ask because upon closer inspection I'm finding parts of porches built by me (15-25 years ago) out of Douglas fir which evidence some (serious) rot in places. Not bugs, just disintegration initiated by moisture trapped in cracks. I'm not concerned with surfaces that are exposed to sunlight, but the darker places. <br>
</div><div class=""><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div link="blue" vlink="purple" lang="EN-CA"><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Next on the list is treatments that oxidize the surface uniformly and ‘naturally’. Off the shelf products include Lifetime Wood Treatment. <br>
</span></p></div></div></blockquote></div><div>I'll look into this. Thanks. <br></div><div class=""><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
<div link="blue" vlink="purple" lang="EN-CA">
<div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Make sure there is a good air path to all surfaces</span><br>
</p></div></div></blockquote></div><div><div><br></div>I find that this doesn't work in all situations, desirable and sensible though it sounds. <br><br></div><div class=""><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
<div link="blue" vlink="purple" lang="EN-CA"><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">and good separation from soil (use gravel where possible as a base)</span></p>
</div></div></blockquote><br></div></div><div class="gmail_quote">Yes. Done.<br></div><div class="gmail_quote"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
<div class="">
<div link="blue" vlink="purple" lang="EN-CA"><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<div style="border-width:1pt medium medium;border-style:solid none none;border-color:rgb(181,196,223) -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color;padding:3pt 0cm 0cm"><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"" lang="EN-US"> Greenbuilding [mailto:<a href="mailto:greenbuilding-bounces@lists.bioenergylists.org" target="_blank">greenbuilding-bounces@lists.bioenergylists.org</a>] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Reuben Deumling<br>
<b>Sent:</b> February-17-14 8:04 AM<br><b>To:</b> Greenbuilding<br><b>Subject:</b> [Greenbuilding] protecting outdoor wooden structure from future decay (or at least delaying it)<u></u><u></u></span></p></div><div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><div><p class="MsoNormal">I'm in the process of building a large outdoor structure (porch, timber frame bridge, stairs, etc.) out of Douglas fir we milled ourselves. The decking is cedar which I'm not worried about, but the rest I'm realizing could probably benefit from some attempt at prolonging its useful life. I despise pressure treated wood, and am not interested in noxious chemicals. Are there any other methods? <br>
<br>Thanks very much.<u></u><u></u></p></div></div></div></div><br></div>_______________________________________________<br>
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