Is pressure treated stronger than plain or is it just more weather proof?

[cougarmeat]

I was at HomeDepot checking out 8 ft 2x2's and saw they had plain and treated but not pressure treated (they have those at Lowe's down the street). I asked two guys in the wood section and neither could say if pressure treating made the wood stronger or just more weather resistant. So it appears there are three choices - plain (raw) wood, treated wood, and pressure treated wood.

I live in high desert country. I've read about rain, but seldom see it. We do get snow, but are usually on top of it instead on in it.

I was looking at 2x2's after wienerman's inspiring post. It looked like HomeDepot also had the (actual) 1.3 x 1.3 8ft'ers but only treated, not pressure treated.

Is getting pressure treated and/or actual 1.5 x 1.5 (called 2x2) important for the Tensahedron or would the 1.3 x 1.3 (also called 2x2) just "treated", work well enough?

Weight in hammock about 180lb.
I may add a ridge pole from 1 radio shack (R.I.P.) antenna mast.

[TrailSlug]

More important that being pressure treated is no knots. Knots weaken wood substantially. So if pressure treated are better quality then get these otherwise get the others.

[Clisbyclark]

I've never heard of a difference between treated and pressure treated. I've heard both terms used interchangeably to describe wood that has been chemically injected to make it weather resistant. The current chemical treatment in use for the last fifteen years or so is called ACQ-don't ask me what the letters stand for! If it were me, I would use treated wood for exterior applications and Southern Yellow Pine for interior use (unless you can get a good hardwood for a reasonable price. I can't see how chemical treatment can make wood either stronger or weaker, but Slug makes an excellent point about knots-especially if the knot goes all the way through both sides of the board. If you can, look on the end of a board and find one whose grain runs vertical through most of the board for the entire length of the board. Also, if you get a treated board, make sure any fasteners you use are ACQ approved-this is usually stamped on the box and includes materials such as galvanized and stainless steel. The cheaper fasteners will easily corrode in ACQ lumber.

[wienerman]

I was looking at 2x2's after wienerman's inspiring post. It looked like HomeDepot also had the (actual) 1.3 x 1.3 8ft'ers but only treated, not pressure treated.

Thanks for the shout out!!

I'd say Clisbyclark is correct, that treated and pressure treated are the same thing and it doesn't really change the strength of the wood. Trailslug hit it on the nose with the knots, but also aim for the straightest, least curvy boards you can find. my treated 1.3x1.3's are holding me just fine (so far) at 200+ lbs with 2 radically different sized hammocks with no apparent bending.

If you are still concerned about strength, a knot-free, straight, plain 1.5x1.5 pole will be about 25% stronger than a knot-free, straight treated 1.3x1.3 pole, merely due to the reduction in cross-sectional area. you can always use a wood searer to treat the plain poles yourself

just my $0.02 worth!! hope you make a stand and enjoy it!!

[gunner76]

Also check to see to see if the treated wood is recommended for contact with the ground. Not all treated wood is.

[cougarmeat]

In my experience, the "pressure" treated wood has small injection holes in it. The "treated" wood - non pressure treated - at Home Depot did not have those holes. But it was rounded and smooth and coated with something other than bare wood. I'm real sure it was the same kind as wienerman used. I'll look for the straightest, knot free pieces I can find.

If I use these on ground/dirt, I'll probably put some kind of foot at the end of the sticks. For now, they would be used on a patio and/or in a room for demos/classes.

[jeff-oh]

Neither. Treating the woof/pressure treating neither strengthens it nor makes it more weather resistant. The chemicals applied are for rot resistance.

[damuffin]

The grain of the wood is what creates strength. Look at an axe handle, they don’t have knots and never use core wood (center of tree).

[OneClick]

I'll look for the straightest, knot free pieces I can find.

Man that's a chore! I visited 2 Lowe's and 2 Home Depot stores on random days over 4 weeks just to get 6 decent (not even really) 2x6's.

[Just Bill]

As mentioned- treatment is not structural in anyway. Just rated for outdoor exposure or underground contact.

Treated is just dipped.
Treated is not very common anymore but maybe it makes sense economically in your region.
Perhaps it was 'pre-finished' which means it was coated with a wood stain/sealer. That makes more sense based on your description and was likely for deck spindles/rail.

Pressure treated is forced into the wood grain with... wait for it... pressure.
ACQ (alkaline copper quartenary) does require rated fastners to use.
They don't always have the 'teeth' marks you mentioned. That has more to do with the milling process than the treatment.
The bigger issue we get here is the ACQ stuff is often wet and develops surface mold as it's not dried properly after treatment.


Another option (and often better quality raw material) would be cedar.

#1 lumber is supposed to be free of knots but as others have mentioned lumber quality is pretty poor overall these days.
Most building lumber is #2 or worse.

Since cedar is often finish material it can be easier to find #1 (or #1 select). I'd personally use 2x3 nominal if you choose cedar as it is a little lighter than SPF (spruce/pine/fir) which is what makes up most of the general use lumber.
Being out west you may find it easier to get quality cedar as it's more commonly used from what I understand.

If you have a Menards or a deck place- they often carry better quality material for the finish parts of the deck than Home Depot.
You're basically buying spindle/rail material and home depot mainly stocks rough framing deck parts or finished spindles. (pre-trimmed)