1.3d-What type of treated lumber is available at the home centers?

Home Depot’s website, shows that the majority of the Western states carry the ACQ/CA treated woods, including my state of Idaho. They also carry the WeatherShield brand, with the OSMOSE MicroPro treatment.

Treated Wood Fastener’s:

According to the 2003 Edition of the IRC-International Residential Code, Section R319.3 Fastener’s states: Fastener’s for pressure preservative and fire-retardant treated wood, shall be of hot-dipped galvanized steel, stainless steel, silicone bronze or copper. Exception: One-half inch (12.7 mm), diameter or greater steel bolts.

Warning: Electro Galvanized, Mechanical Galvanized and Hot Galvanized are not as corrosive resistant as Hot-Dipped Galvanized fastener’s. G-60 & G-90 coatings were used previously, with G-60 the low end today. G-185 is the highest galvanized coating now. The highest rated fasteners are Type 304 and Type 316 Stainless Steel). See finehomebuilding.com for an excellent article on this subject.

• WeatherShield recommends the following fastener sizes:

• 2” lumber-12p nails or 3” screws
• 5/4” decking-10pnails or 21/2” screws
• 
  

Lowe’s: Lowe’s carries what they call Better Fir Treated, Top Choice Structural Treated Hem Fir and Top Choice Treated Decking Fir. (I spent an hour, searching Lowe’s website and looking for specs, MSDS sheets on their treated wood products. I suspect there stuff is ACQ/CA, but strange that specs are next to impossible to locate for this lumber. I have been unable to locate the manufacturer, although their site states, Top Choice Lumber Products?

UPDATE: Recently John purchased some PT lumber from Lowe’s. (See an image of the Top Choice ID Tag). It clearly states that the material is Structural, rated for above ground use, with a retention level of .20pcf. It also states the material is ACQ/D. The tag also states that Top Choice is a registered trademark of Lf.LLC, which links back to Lowes.