Comments on: Using Pressure Treated Lumber in Raised Garden Beds

By: John Saltenberger

John Saltenberger — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 17:58:17 +0000

Here’s a quote from the Environmental Working Group article cited by Theresa Gallo above:

On February 12, 2002, under pressure by consumers, members of congress and the EPA, the wood industry agreed to stop using arsenic-based wood preservatives as of December 2003. By 2006, US consumption of arsenic had dropped more than 300 percent.

So, that article echos the original author’s claim: Pressure treated lumber sold in the US after 2003 contains no arsenic. It would seem that risk of arsenic exposure from using pressure treated lumber is no greater than background.

By: Administrator

Administrator — Mon, 24 May 2010 15:00:40 +0000

I’m not sure which part of your scientific mind fears something that hasn’t existed in 7 years. It sounds more like superstition than science to me.

Any pressure treated wood you buy today has no arsenic.

By: Theresa Gallo

Theresa Gallo — Mon, 24 May 2010 14:15:31 +0000

Hi,
Also a person of science–well, a reasonable math PhD, I certainly wouldn’t risk it. I’m planning on using untreated wood only. If I have to replace it in a year or two so be it. I might just spend the extra money for naturally rot resistant sustainably harvested wood too. My toddler will be with me playing in the dirt, planting and watering. She’ll eat the food we grow. She certainly doesn’t need arsenic exposure. I know we’re all exposed to toxins daily, but I won’t knowingly subject myself and my family to toxins. The Environmental Working Group was key in getting the arsenic outlawed in treated wood.
Here’s the EWG info page…check out their risk assessment.
http://www.ewg.org/featured/232
Enjoy your (hopefully non toxic) gardens!
T

By: Administrator

Administrator — Sun, 16 May 2010 15:15:52 +0000

You can, but you shouldn’t.

1. Stains are probably not healthy for the soil.

2. Stains, sealers, etc, meant for decking, is meant to protect the wood from water than falls and runs off. They will not stand up to being in constant contact with soil. They will rot quickly.

You either need to use pressure treated wood, or a rot resistant (and expensive) species like teak, cedar, cypress, or redwood.

By: mike

mike — Sat, 15 May 2010 22:53:29 +0000

can I use pine 2×10 and stain it?

By: Administrator

Administrator — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 13:03:58 +0000

I’d rather use stone too.

But it is exponentially more expensive than wood, and if I’m growing my own food to save money, where is the savings then?

By: Pamela Cohen

Pamela Cohen — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 18:15:37 +0000

I think most of us have enough toxins in our ‘body bank’. At Gardenaut I read a response as to what to build raised beds out of, which is regular lumber, because in ten years, you might want to change the design of your yard, anyway. Why worry or rationalize? After using redwood from an old water tower to build two raised beds last year, I used a linseed oil that had carcinogens added to it. Thinking I could keep it from leaching into my soil, I used that black road fabric, and thought about using the black landscape fabric, but then I wasn’t sure about black AZO dyes that also cause cancer, or what leaches out of plastic. Babies today are born with over 200 foreign, toxic chemicals in their bloodstream.
I would rather use rock, as it holds the heat and extends the growing time of plants. I think dry stacking or single stacking would be best, as I’m not sure I want the lime from cement binding elements in the soil, either.
Now, if the galvanized mesh at the bottom of the gardens (to keep the moles from destroying my efforts) won’t kill me off sooner, I can stop worrying. What a conundrum of thought.

By: Frank

Frank — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 13:30:32 +0000

I built a raised bed, vegetable garden using the 8′ pressure treat yawn post sold at Lowes. I was concerned about any chemicals going into the soil around the post. I lined it with a heavy plastic. Should this help with preventing chemicals from entering the ground?

By: Bruce, Austin, TX

Bruce, Austin, TX — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:24:10 +0000

Is “dip treated” landscape timbers more or less likely to leach arsenic? And for those who would like to be sure, where and how would you get a soil test to check arsenic levels?
Thanks

By: John White

John White — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 12:02:16 +0000

Palexandra noted that her “pressure treated” landscape timbers were rotting.

Most landscape timbers sold at the big box stores, they are typically 4×4 or 5×5, are dip treated not pressure treated, but unless you read the fine print on signs or the labels you would probably presume they were pressure treated because they look identical to pressure treated.

Dip treated wood has only a thin surface layer of treated wood, the cores and any cut off ends are untreated and will rot like ordinary wood. Of course dip treating is less expensive than pressure treating, and this is a clear case of getting what you pay for.

John White