use of untreated lumber in a gazebo - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

72chevy4x4 · 04-07-2008, 06:54 AM

client wants a gazebo (no ground contact) made out of non-PT wood so that it can be stained a 'pretty' color. Cedar's out of the question-lumber costs here are running 3-4 times PT cost. my yard has just got in a sample of 'Proselect' Lumber-anyone use it yet? It's has micronized copper instead of whatever they use for regular PT, and is supposed to hold stain better.

can anyone comment on a (small) gazebo being made from SPF and stained/treated? It's to be built on top of an existing deck which is on concrete, so the posts won't be in contact w/ the earth.

neolitic · 04-07-2008, 07:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 72chevy4x4

client wants a gazebo (no ground contact) made out of non-PT wood so that it can be stained a 'pretty' color. Cedar's out of the question-lumber costs here are running 3-4 times PT cost. my yard has just got in a sample of 'Proselect' Lumber-anyone use it yet? It's has micronized copper instead of whatever they use for regular PT, and is supposed to hold stain better.

can anyone comment on a (small) gazebo being made from SPF and stained/treated? It's to be built on top of an existing deck which is on concrete, so the posts won't be in contact w/ the earth.

I think the 4X4 and 6X6 are .40
ground contact.
A couple of the local yards have samples of
the MicroPro that have been stained.
It looks as good as any stained SYP.
I'd use oil myself.

DavidC · 04-07-2008, 08:02 AM

We built one a few years ago using hemlock out of our local forests. Bought it from a one man sawmill operation. It was all rough cut so we had to plane it ourselves. Took a stain nicely.

The lumber was green so I expected to have a few problems with warpage as it dried but only had to replace one small board the next spring.

Good Luck
Dave

Susan Betz · 04-07-2008, 12:50 PM

If it's not in the ground, and they're willing to stain, untreated cedar or cypress will last as long as PT. Hit them with the price difference and see if they still want to play.

redwood · 04-07-2008, 02:05 PM

Does this gazebo have a solid, water tight roof? If so, you can use almost any species of lumber for the frame. We use resawn douglas fir for this use all of the time.

If there is no solid roof, we use redwood or cedar.

mawe54180 · 04-07-2008, 02:58 PM

Are the sides of the gazebo enclosed, or is it just posts and railings. If it is enclosed you would be able to use SPF on the interior, as long as the exterior was watertight including the roof as Redwood stated. If it is just a rail system I would definitely use a treated or cedar. No mater how well you paint or seal the SPF you are going to get rot eventually. Especially where the joints are.
Mark

John Hyatt · 04-07-2008, 05:57 PM

Build it out of pt and wrap it in 3/4 / 1'' cedar. John