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I am getting ready to build a set of open riser stairs outdoors on the SoCal coast near San Diego. We have drywood termites, moderate temps, high humidity. The stringers will be spanning 14 feet, so I was thinking PSL, treated with ACQ if I can get it, then rounded over, sanded and painted. Perhaps I am wrong in thinking these would paint up well? Treads will likely be ipe. I have called around and done some Google searches to no avail. My lumber yard offered that I could get them custom-treated in 6 weeks locally. Has anyone here got a source for these already done? Glulams are another possibility, and preferably not incised. Thanks in advance.
I also need some treated LVL/PSL for ledgers on a Rastra wall to carry the 2nd floor joists.
Bill
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Bill-16'3x12 incised pressure treated stair jacks are available here in Seattle for $61.44 They are redish brown in color and can be painted after they dry.
Bob
*Pro-Dek,Thanks. I may well decide to use 3x12's for the stairs, but would rather use a more stable product for my ledgers. I do not know if treatment makes engineered lumber as squirrely as green lumber, but I doubt it. Maybe use top hung hangers on 3x ledgers, hang TJI's and float the rock on the ceiling below instead of trying to hit the ledgers with screws. Still, I would love to hear of a source for PT Microllams or Parrallams, if anybody knows of any.Bill
*BillTrus Joist MacMillan offers a "Wolmanized" parallamPSL. 1-800-628-3997Craig
*Craig,Thank you. I will call them Monday. I spoke with TJM at one plant and the guy was unsure if they offered it or not...never heard back.Bill
*Bill....why do your second floor ledgers need to be PT, even on a Rastra wall? Rastra is termite-proof, so thats not why. If it's because of moisture, then you have big problems everywhere. So, why PT?
*Andrew,It is a code thing. They probably do not need to be treated in fact, but they are in contact with concrete which also contacts soil, albeit 10 feet away. The city wants it and Rastra shows it in their details on their web site.Everybody,I called TJM yesterday, and found out that their treated Parallams are only being done on the east coast, because their Pacific Northwest treater went under or something, and they will not have a replacement until summer. Due in part to trucking costs, treated Parallams are three times the cost of untreated, which aren't cheap anyway. Then again, most things cost more here in California. The TJM rep told me that Parallams are difficult to treat and that they retain 4 times the preservative of similar sized doug fir. I guess I will just find another way to skin that cat, like lumber ledgers with top flange hangers and TJI's. A big part of why I wanted I-joists was to avoid the huge shrinkage factor with S-GRN joists. It seems they leave the hanger seats and can squeak later on when dry. Maybe a concrete plank floor?Bill
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I am getting ready to build a set of open riser stairs outdoors on the SoCal coast near San Diego. We have drywood termites, moderate temps, high humidity. The stringers will be spanning 14 feet, so I was thinking PSL, treated with ACQ if I can get it, then rounded over, sanded and painted. Perhaps I am wrong in thinking these would paint up well? Treads will likely be ipe. I have called around and done some Google searches to no avail. My lumber yard offered that I could get them custom-treated in 6 weeks locally. Has anyone here got a source for these already done? Glulams are another possibility, and preferably not incised. Thanks in advance.
I also need some treated LVL/PSL for ledgers on a Rastra wall to carry the 2nd floor joists.
Bill