# Treated or regular pine?



## snafuspyramid (May 27, 2010)

I'm going to start building a DIY stand for a 75 gallon in a few days. The price difference between regular pine and treated pine is not huge. Is there any advantage to using treated pine?

Obviously termites shouldn't be a problem, but I understand that treated pine also repels fungus and rot which might be caused by water splashing, and generally deals with being damp better.

Which is the better option?


----------



## aaronbrown (Apr 13, 2010)

if you can afford treated thats what i would go with specialy if you plan on keeping it a long time


----------



## DarkCobra (Jun 22, 2004)

The chemicals used in treated wood are toxic. Make sure you use a dust mask when cutting, and avoid spreading the sawdust around areas where people or pets might inhale or ingest it.

I prefer to err on the side of caution by never using treated wood for objects that will be used in living areas.

It's my opinion that a good coat of spar polyurethane provides sufficient protection against moisture anyway.


----------



## jwm5 (May 9, 2010)

absolutely no reason to use treated over regular, unless you are not planning on finishing the wood at all, or are placing the stand in a garage or other location where it would be subject to water on a regular basis... 

as long as you use a good stain/polyurethane or a good primer/paint finish you are fine with regular untreated wood.


----------



## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Another vote to use regular pine. Treated wood is for places where the wood is almost continuously damp, and only outdoors or behind other finish wood.


----------



## nokturnalkid (Apr 3, 2007)

+1 on untreated pine. Most places treat only treat their lumber with a termite repellent. Some also add a mild waterproofing solution, kind of like thompsan's. A good primer/paint or stain/clear coat will be a better waterproofer.


----------



## chad320 (Mar 7, 2010)

I treat all of my untreated pine with oil based paint or polyurethane


----------



## snafuspyramid (May 27, 2010)

Thanks for the tips guys. I actually wasn't planning on treating the timber for the frame at all, since it is only the 'skeleton' of the cabinet. The cabinet itself will have a few good coats of stain and varnish, which should be enough to repel a few spills. Hopefully the timber underneath won't come into contact with water at all.

What will come into contact with water, though, is the piece of plywood I'll be setting underneath a layer of styrofoam beneath the tank. I'm assuming I'll get occasional splashes down the side of the glass, like I do on my current tank.

What's the best option there? Marine ply is too expensive, and I can't find any suitable offcuts. MDF is much stronger, but swells up like a sponge with the slightest moisture. So I guess I'm left with either chipboard or plyboard. In either case I'll just spray some polyurethane varnish over the top, but I'm not sure how much that will help.

What would you suggest?


----------



## [email protected] (Jul 17, 2008)

I like to top stained wood with a rub on oil, but I like satin finishes. 
Polyurethane will shed water until you wipe it up or it evaporates.


----------



## fishykid1 (Apr 5, 2010)

+1 on untreated: As people have mentioned, treated is usually only used for outdoors or wet locations. 

Treated lumber also has the tendency to warp once it dries. Even though it may be perfectly straight at the store, more then likely it will warp. On something that's holding around 800 pounds, I wouldn't want it to warp ANY. Just a thought, hope it helps though.


----------



## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

MDF doesn't "swell up like a sponge with the slightest moisture." Particle board does. They are totally different products.


----------



## chad320 (Mar 7, 2010)

I would get a quart can of polyurethane and brush it on rather than spray it so it goes on a little thicker.


----------



## nokturnalkid (Apr 3, 2007)

snafuspyramid said:


> Thanks for the tips guys. I actually wasn't planning on treating the timber for the frame at all, since it is only the 'skeleton' of the cabinet. The cabinet itself will have a few good coats of stain and varnish, which should be enough to repel a few spills. Hopefully the timber underneath won't come into contact with water at all.
> 
> What will come into contact with water, though, is the piece of plywood I'll be setting underneath a layer of styrofoam beneath the tank. I'm assuming I'll get occasional splashes down the side of the glass, like I do on my current tank.
> 
> ...



Just finish it with whatever you are going to finish the rest of the cabinet with. The stain and clear coat will protect it from moisture. I would suggest using an oil based stain and clear coat though. Oil based clear coats dry a lot harder than water based ones.


----------



## peccavi (May 5, 2010)

+1 DO NOT USE TREATED WOOD INDOORS! I'm not sure if they still do but it used to be treated with asbestos as well as some other serious anti-fungal and anti-bug chemicals.


----------



## PDX-PLT (Feb 14, 2007)

Asbestos was never used to treat wood. In a USA, a chemical mixture called CCA contains arsenic, and used to be widely used in residential applications, until it was removed from the residential market in the USA a few years ago. Maybe that's what you're thinking.

I don't know about Down Under, but in North America almost all treated wood is sold wet or "green", i.e., it hasn't been dried from the pressure treatment as still has some residue from the treatment on it. With outdoor use this is no big deal as it washes away in the rain. Indoors? You probably don't want that residue around, especially as some of your aquarium inhabitants are probably very senstive to it: the arsenic mixture has been banned, it's newer replacement substituted for it with a great deal of copper.

Only treated wood marked KDAT (Kiln Dried After Treatment) is sold dry. For instance, pressure treated plywood, used in wooden foundations, is KDAT.

No need for treated wood that get ocasional moisture. If your really paranoid about it, a coating of epoxy wil make it 100% waterproof.


----------



## j-pond (Dec 18, 2008)

I recently built my own stand for a 55gallon where I can put another 55 under it. I would recomend using 3/4underlayment plywood, It has one side sanded and finishes nicely. The new treated lumber dose not have any of the harmful chemicals in it anymore but with the way they treat it now unless your using double galvinized nail it will eat right through them. I work at a lumber yard and have seen this happen.


----------

