Pressure Treated Lumber

BudWhyz

BudWhyz

Active Member
I need to build a table for my 4'x4' flood tray and I have a couple questions I was hoping to get answers to before I give it a go in the morning. (I searched and couldn't find any threads or information on this.)
I bought both regular and pressure treated lumber. (Long story short, my cell phone was dead at Home Depot and I didn't think ahead :joint:)
Is there any legitimate health risk to myself or the plants with pressure treated? And if not, should I return the regular lumber to avoid any potential mold, fungus or insect issues?

Also, if I'm building it for a 4x4 tent that contains a 4'x4' flood tray, does logic follow by saying I should build a 4'x4' table with center support to account for the tables weight when full of water and mature plants?
I bought 4"x4"s for the legs (pressure treated) and 2"x3"s for the top and sides. Should be strong enough right?

I'll post pics when it's all done.
 
mtgeezer

mtgeezer

Well-Known Member
Pressure treated wood is not real safe. The treatment could be arsenic, copper or chromium salts or other nasty stuff. If you get splinters from handling the wood, take them out as soon as possible. Cover and seal any bare wood from coming in contact with your plants. Health risks are there, just be aware and act accordingly.
 
BudWhyz

BudWhyz

Active Member
I read exactly that; copper, chromium and arsenic. So is it only splinters I need to watch out for? Or am I just better off returning it for regular lumber?
 
B

bseeds

Well-Known Member
you are ok with pt wood people use it all the time for raised veg gardins put if you get slivers take out soon and your soposed to cut it out side the regar wood will be ok if its not wet al the time
 
P

Puma327

Member
The PT wood from home depot doesn't have arsenic anymore, or so I've been told. I wouldn't think anything of using it, but if I were to pic the ideal wood, I would go with cedar or redwood because they are mold and rot resistant naturally.
 
BarnBuster

BarnBuster

Virtually Unknown Member
Personally, I would not want anything I consume growing in dirt that comes in contact with any treated lumber even if "they" say it's safe. JM2CW.
 
P

Pwankton

Member
Buddy of mine just built a structure in the middle of a Koi pond using PT lumber and the lumber manufacturer told him it was okay over the phone, if it's okay for fish and being constantly wet I'd use it. It was the Home Debto stuff with no arsenic.
 
BudWhyz

BudWhyz

Active Member
BarnBuster said:
Personally, I would not want anything I consume growing in dirt that comes in contact with any treated lumber even if "they" say it's safe. JM2CW.
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I agree. I probably wouldn't trust this anywhere near my organics. But this is a support table for a 4'x4' flood tray.
 
BudWhyz

BudWhyz

Active Member
Pwankton said:
Buddy of mine just built a structure in the middle of a Koi pond using PT lumber and the lumber manufacturer told him it was okay over the phone, if it's okay for fish and being constantly wet I'd use it. It was the Home Debto stuff with no arsenic.
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I might go back and get all pressure treated wood then. Could I cover it in some Panda Film I have laying around? I heard you can't paint this stuff...
 
FilthyFletch

FilthyFletch

Mr I Can Do That For Half
Pressure treated lumber is fine as long as you do not burn it and seal any cut ends as it is treated with arsenic which is what they used under pressure to seal it. Reg lumber is fine to if worried about mold you can use simple water sealer or paint and it will be fine. I use untreated lumber on my flood tray tables and no mold and last ones I build 8 years ago dozens of grows. As carpenter familiar with the woods.
 
BudWhyz

BudWhyz

Active Member
FilthyFletch said:
Pressure treated lumber is fine as long as you do not burn it and seal any cut ends as it is treated with arsenic which is what they used under pressure to seal it. Reg lumber is fine to if worried about mold you can use simple water sealer or paint and it will be fine. I use untreated lumber on my flood tray tables and no mold and last ones I build 8 years ago dozens of grows. As carpenter familiar with the woods.
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Thank you, it's reassuring to hear a carpenter's opinion. Do you think I need to add any extra support if I use 4x4's for the legs and 2x3's for the rest? I was planning on building it something like this (pardon the crude diagram):
..________
./ . . / . . /|
/___/___/ ||
|| . . . . ||
|| . . . . ||
(Ignore the periods, RIU keeps auto-correcting my attempt at a table diagram :lol:)

I planned on fitting two of these underneath so that I can either run dual cycles or multiple strains. Or just to have a fresh water supply to top-off my nute res. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Rubbermaid-54-Gallon-Roughneck-Hi-Top-Tote-FG3A05H2MICBL/100673965#.UXdC56WN7wx
 
^Slanty

^Slanty

Active Member
depending on what you are using to cover the top of you stand!? If you have plywood, then I would make sure it is 3/4" thick and you won't have any issues! Thinner stuff will work, but if it ever gets damp, it may become an issue!
 
BudWhyz

BudWhyz

Active Member
I have 4"x4" for the legs and 2"x3" for everything else. If you look at my shitty diagram above, I was trying to depict three boards crossing the top. I'm just gonna build this things tomorrow and upload some pics. Should be easy enough, nonetheless, wish me luck lol.
 
BudWhyz

BudWhyz

Active Member
Thank you for the replies so far everyone. I'll check back in again before I start construction in the A.M.
 
FilthyFletch

FilthyFletch

Mr I Can Do That For Half
What I do for the 4x4 tables is I use 4 2x4s. I measure the bottom of my flood table edges then shrink that about 2 inches in so that gives me the square box size. I use 3 inch drywall course screws to put it together predrill pilot holes to prevent splits. 2 in each connection works fine. I then decide how high I want the table to sit I have mine at 20 inches from the floor to the bottom of the 2 x4 frame since my res sits under the table at about 16 inches tall gives me bout 4 inches to access the res or hoses if need be. I cut my legs from the floor to the top of the 2x4 square table top then place them inside and screw through them into the top frame using 3 screws each in a triangle pattern to stop spinning or leaning held tight and flush..I then use 2 2x4 across the inside of the square set flush with the top edge I move them in about 10 to 12 inches in from the inner outside edges of the square this way I have 2 braces across for support and my drain fills are right in between them centered. I tend to do a few different ways for the grow put usually put about 12 to 18 plants in a 4x4 table. Sometimes I put coco mat down then just placed my rooted clones that are in 4x4 rockwool cubes right on top and the roots grow through out. I also like to use 6x6 square pots I put some hydroton in the pot drop the 4x4 rockwool cube in and cover with more hydroton. This makes moving them around easy in the table. I also sometimes place the 4x4 rockwool cubes where I want them in the table then dump a large bag of hydroton right into the table to cover them which helps keep roots moist and light free while using less nutrient solution to do the table fills making 2 week res changes more reasonable.
 
BudWhyz

BudWhyz

Active Member
FilthyFletch said:
What I do for the 4x4 tables is I use 4 2x4s. I measure the bottom of my flood table edges then shrink that about 2 inches in so that gives me the square box size. I use 3 inch drywall course screws to put it together predrill pilot holes to prevent splits. 2 in each connection works fine. I then decide how high I want the table to sit I have mine at 20 inches from the floor to the bottom of the 2 x4 frame since my res sits under the table at about 16 inches tall gives me bout 4 inches to access the res or hoses if need be. I cut my legs from the floor to the top of the 2x4 square table top then place them inside and screw through them into the top frame using 3 screws each in a triangle pattern to stop spinning or leaning held tight and flush..I then use 2 2x4 across the inside of the square set flush with the top edge I move them in about 10 to 12 inches in from the inner outside edges of the square this way I have 2 braces across for support and my drain fills are right in between them centered. I tend to do a few different ways for the grow put usually put about 12 to 18 plants in a 4x4 table. Sometimes I put coco mat down then just placed my rooted clones that are in 4x4 rockwool cubes right on top and the roots grow through out. I also like to use 6x6 square pots I put some hydroton in the pot drop the 4x4 rockwool cube in and cover with more hydroton. This makes moving them around easy in the table. I also sometimes place the 4x4 rockwool cubes where I want them in the table then dump a large bag of hydroton right into the table to cover them which helps keep roots moist and light free while using less nutrient solution to do the table fills making 2 week res changes more reasonable.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the detailed reply! I actually built it this morning before reading this but I appreciate the time you took to add this either way and hopefully somebody else reading along can pick up a few tips.

I'm gonna upload some pics now.
 
BudWhyz

BudWhyz

Active Member
Sorry, I didn't take any pics building the actual table. Or any pics of the table by itself (sans tray). But here's the whole set-up so far. Better than nothing.

There's nothing in there right now but pepper, tomato and melon seedling getting ready for the outdoor garden (strictly organics).

I might start a little grow journal.






 

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dadio161

dadio161

Well-Known Member
I made mine out of PVC pipe. never mold. Never warps . Never poisons my crop. light weight. lasts forever and a day. looks good.
 
jrainman

jrainman

Active Member
Just wanted to clarify your safty concern on P T lumber , in 2004 the EPA mandated the CCA lumber can no longer be manufactured, with pressure treatment of CCA chromium,copper and Arsenic , today all PT lumber is safe it will eithe be Pressure treated with the a borate or copper treatment. witch is safe .
 
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