Hi there!
I’m new here and hoping for some advice. Someone in “Over the Fence” made the great suggestion that I ask you all as the experts in construction.
We’re planning on putting in a patio that is a mix of some stone and some cedar decking material, to create the feel of rooms. We’re assuming that we need to dig down several inches into the earth and first lay down some kind of pressure-treated lumber to nail the cedar to.
Any thoughts? Is this unnecessary work or is there something else we should think about or use/do?
Thanks!
GardenBug
Replies
You didn't like the answers from the same post you made 3 days ago?
Or are looking for someone to come do it for you?
No, I'm not looking for someone to come do it - I WANT to do it. It was suggested on the other sites that you, as experts, might have additional thoughts that others on the gardening, etc sites wouldn't. And, I see that many of you do. Thanks so much! I'll reflect on this further, now with your thoughts, and try to post a design soon.
I wouldn't put ANY lumber down in the earth, treated or not, it won't hold up. Sounds like a defective design, I'd go back to the drawing board now, before you begin construction. Any wood members should be above ground by several inches at least. Can you post a drawing of your proposed deck design?
"...never charged nothing for his preaching, and it was worth it, too" - Mark Twain
Not even treated wood? What about the thousands of FHA approved basements and foundations made of treated wood?
http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/pdf1992/ross92a.pdf
Sure you could use it, I've just never seen it hold up over time. Pressure treated will hold up better than untreated in contact with the ground, but you said you were putting it down in the ground. Even the p.t. will rot when buried down in the ground, at least here in so. cal.
If you could post a sketch of what you're proposing, we could get a better idea. I've never seen p.t. basement here, but I'm guessing the lumber is not buried in the ground without some kind of protective moisture barrier."...never charged nothing for his preaching, and it was worth it, too" - Mark Twain
PT SYP or DF?East of the Rockies (more or less) all PT is SYP and it soaks up the treatment. And except for every thick posts it is all the way through.I had a piece that I used as a berm to flatten out a water that the city was directing down my yard from their made sewer install.It was a 2x8 buried so that only one edge was about 1/2" above the ground. It was in heavy clay. After 15 years it was as good as new except the surface was a little rough.
hmmm... seems like its all D.F. here, and penetration is limited, as is durability in-ground."...never charged nothing for his preaching, and it was worth it, too" - Mark Twain
Of course you can put down treated lumber. Thats what its for.
If you have an area already leveled out you can simply put down some PT landscape ties and screw the cedar w/Stainless Steel or galvanized nails or screws to the landscape ties. Personally I'd use screws.
You can use finish head SS screws which would really be nice but expensive (you'll have to figure that one out).
You really haven't given too much information so I don't know exactly what you're asking for but you don't "have to" sink the PT into the ground if you don't want to. The ground should be virgin soil however.
I'd advise just using common sense such as securing whatever walkways you're going to put down with a bolder/rock border or wood stakes or whatever to keep things in place if you have no footings.
You really need to post more info/pictures to get any more substantial advice here.
Creation arises, is sustained for awhile, and then things change. That’s the dance.