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Home and Garden Use of Treated Wood
Many people choose treated wood to construct garden beds, retaining walls, walkways, fences, posts, decks and other items around their homes. Treated wood is often chosen because it is more resistant to rot and decay as well as insect damage. Selecting the correct treated wood for various settings is important to ensure the benefits and minimize the risks to people and the environment. Some types of treated wood are not intended to be used around homes or edible plants and others can leach into soils or groundwater.
Additional Resources on Home and Garden Use of Treated Wood:
- Garden Use of Treated Lumber - Penn State Extension
- Arsenic Availability from CCA Treated Lumber and Uptake by Plants - University of Minnesota
- Gardening on Lead- and Arsenic-contaminated Soils - Washington State University
- Treated Lumber and Alternatives in the Garden - Purdue University Extension Service
- Is Pressure Treated Wood Safe to Use in My Yard? - University of California, Davis
- Using CCA Treated Lumber in Gardens and Landscapes - University of California, Davis
- Environmental Soil Issues: Garden Use of Treated Lumber - Penn State
- Avoiding Arsenic Exposure from Treated Lumber Around the Home - Purdue University Extension Service
- Paint, stain, varnish, or preservative? It's your choice - Forest Products Laboratory
- Painting ACQ- or CCA-Treated Lumber - University of Missouri Extension
- What is that Black Goo on Railroad Ties and Utility Poles? - Montana State University Extension
For assistance identifying the risks of any type of treated wood, contact NPIC at 1-800-858-7378 (7:30am-3:30pm PST), or email us at npic@ace.orst.edu.
