Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Property Projects & Construction Pressure treated wood OK for a dock - ??

While I have read numerous posts from members who have used pressure treated wood on their docks, I thought somewhere years ago I read that chemicals in the wood would leach into the pond and be bad news for fish and bugs. My floating 8x8 dock (built with 2x10's) needs rebuilding- so am I risking anything by using pressure treated wood for a longer life ??

Pond is 1/2 acre and wood sits a few inches above the waterline on floats.

I would use it and not give it a second thought.

+1

I would caution that the "treated" 2x6s I used to deck my dock is only three years old and I already have some rotting. I didn't seal it with anything and perhaps that is my main problem but I wouldn't have thought it would rot so fast. I "think" the new yellawood doesn't last as long as the old arsenic treated wood.

When I built mine a few years agao, the companies were switching to a "milder" PTW. The tags on the PTW will say a certain percentage to how they are treated. By looking at those tags, I found some that were way higher in treatment quality. It's the reason why you can specifically buy PTW for docks. It's treated better, and thus costs more. If you look at the tags for 6x6's that are meant for posts in the ground, and then compare that to other PTW, you will see what I mean.

I would add an additional treatment or finish to any material that is used on a dock.

I agree except you need to wait 3 to 6 months before you seal/treat treated wood. It needs to breath for a while and dry out some before you treat it or paint it or stain it whatever...

RC