Pastway Planing – Building Recommendations

Use an end-cut preservative – When building your outdoor project with pressure treated wood, it is important to protect the cut ends of boards from fungal decay. All cuts and holes that expose untreated wood should be liberally brush-coated with two applications of an end-cut preservative (copper naphthenate in ground contact or zinc naphthenate above ground) before the wood is installed. Always follow the manufacturer's recommendations.
Use corrosion-resistant fasteners – Preserved wood is designed for long-term performance in outdoor applications and, therefore, requires nails, screws, fasteners, hardware and metal product that are high quality and corrosion-resistant. Warning – Certain metal products (including fasteners, hardware and flashing) may corrode when in direct contact with pressure treated wood products. To prevent premature corrosion and failure it is important to follow the recommendations of the manufacturers for all metal products. For interior or exterior applications, use fasteners and hardware that are in compliance with the manufacturer's recommendations and the building codes for their intended use. As with any good design and construction practices, pressure treated wood should not be used in applications where trapped moisture or water can occur. Where design and/or actual conditions allow for constant, repetitive or long periods of wet conditions, only stainless steel fasteners should be used.

Do not use pressure treated wood in direct contact with aluminum – When using pressure treated wood in close proximity to aluminum products, such as aluminum siding, flashing, and door and window frames, a 1/4" minimum space must be allowed for between the pressure treated wood and the aluminum products. Polyethylene or nylon spacers can be used to maintain the 1/4" spacing. Another option is to use a polyethylene barrier, with a minimum thickness of 10 mils, between the pressure treated wood and the aluminum product to prevent direct contact of the wood and the aluminum.
Drill pilot holes to minimize splitting especially when nailing or screwing near the edge or end of a board.
Follow finishing manufacturer's instructions – If you desire to apply a paint, stain, clear water repellent or other finish to pressure treated wood, we recommend following the manufacturer's instructions and label of the finishing product. Before you start, we recommend you apply the finishing product to a small test area before finishing the entire project to ensure it provides the intended result before proceeding.
Remove mold with soap and water – Mold growth can and does occur on the surface of many products, including untreated and treated wood, during prolonged surface exposure to excessive moisture conditions. To remove mold from the treated wood surface, wood should be allowed to dry. Typically, mild soap and water can be used to remove remaining surface mold.