pressure treated wood sealant?

[gimpy]

First, a little background. I need a little help on building a six foot bridge across a "dry creek bed". This will be mostly decorative, but will also be used. The wife gave me a small picture from an old magazine (1997 was on the bottom of the page, I think) with instructions to build her one like it. There are measurements in the picture, so should not be real hard to do.

Anyway, the wood used is "pressure treated" and greenish in color. I do wish to "seal" all wood surfaces. What is best for sealing pressure treated wood? Thompson's water seal? Or???

Thx, Frank

[Ken Weaver]

I used a deck sealant on my Adirondack chair and ottoman. Can't remember the specific name off hand but it was off the shelf at Sherwin Williams. Has held up great, been three years and will probably have to reseal it this winter some time (pic located here 1/2 way down the page). I also have a plan from the old Ryobi project site for a foot bridge. Email me and I'll forward the pdf to you if you want.

[wardprobst]

Any outdoor sealant should work. I'd suggest rounding over any hand rails, etc. with a router.
DP

[SARGE..g-47]

I would give a little thought to the pressure treat you use, gimpy. Is it KDAT (Kiln Dryed after Treatment). Pressure treat that has just been un-banded can be dripping wet if you purchase from a store that has high turn-over (commercial deck builder's, etc. as clientele). Or it can sit on the shelf in a non commercial area where additional air drying takes place, so different degrees of dry-ness can be en-countered in your purchase.


The reason: The Southern Yellow Pine Council and other realated organizations recommends not applying a finish for 2 weeks to 2 months till it is relatively dry. And treat it on all sides equally.

I have a neighbor that builds out-door furniture for a living for the past 16 years and has to be concerned with come-back. He has used about all the finishes as has the large number of deck builders in the Atlanta area. Their current leading choice is CWF UV Resistent clear as the greenish will eventually turn to a brownish tone with exposure to sun-light. The clear leaves a nice natural tone on what will be the grayish brown.

And a tip on spacing for water run-off between floor planks if using pressure treat.... Don't!.... Butt if together and let "mother nature" take care if the spacing. It will shrink from side to side and give you the gap you need for run-off. If you pre-space it, it will widen too much and the young lady that happens to be wearing heels going across your bridge just became a home-owner liability issue if that heel drops or lodges between a too large gap.

Regards...

[gimpy]

Thx, for the help, guys. SARGE, The stuff I have been looking at is at the BORG. I haven't really looked at it up close and checked the stickers on it, so don't know how wet it is. It did look better to me than a lot of their normal 2 X's, though. I will check closer.

You also mentioned "CFW UV Resistant" clear. I am not familiar with that term. Brand name or type of sealer or what? I had not planned on leaving spacing in the planks, although, as I said earlier, it will mostly be aesthetics with maybe some use (mostly me and the wife). It's only the two of us now (private joke).

ward, the handrails I am looking at are/will actually be rounded tree stakes or as H.D. calls them "lodge poles". They also appear to be chemically treated and are round and pretty "rough" looking.

Ken, thx, did you get my e-mail? I did send it to you.

Frank

[SARGE..g-47]

C F W or do I have those letters reversed? ha.... at Lowe's. UV resistent in clear...

Enjoy the bridge...