Scratch Build Buildings, etc Pressure Treated Pine?

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Fred Seider

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Looking to make a few building etc this winter for my spring garden railway build. Is pressure treated pine (which I have a lot of 4 and 5 year old dried stuff in the basement - and yes, I have dust collection, etc). Is pressure treated fine OK to use for structures outside once cut up to smaller pieces? I would still think so. Would people suggest I soak it in a water sealer as well? I'd like to take advantage of materials I already have. And any estimate on longevity?

Thoughts / suggestions appreciated. Thanks in advance!
 
Fred Seider said:
Looking to make a few building etc this winter for my spring garden railway build. Is pressure treated pine (which I have a lot of 4 and 5 year old dried stuff in the basement - and yes, I have dust collection, etc). Is pressure treated fine OK to use for structures outside once cut up to smaller pieces? I would still think so. Would people suggest I soak it in a water sealer as well? I'd like to take advantage of materials I already have. And any estimate on longevity?

Thoughts / suggestions appreciated. Thanks in advance!
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It should be fine, being dried it should be very good as any warping and twisting issues will be sorted out.
I use H3 for sleepers (ties) when making my hand made points (switches), I have just re furbished one set and I painted them with deck oil/stain (see The Coffee Lounge for today)
I paint my building with acrylic exterior house paint bought in coloured sample pots or white coloured with acrylics.
I "glue" my buildings to fibre cement board using paintable roof and gutter sealent silastic, again it is painted with exterior paint to keep water ingress at bay.
I use exterior PVA glue held together with small nails, a word of warning use galvanised nails/screws as the treatment will quickly rust non galvo fastenings.
Do not paint inside of the buildings as this lets the wood "breath" and any water ingress to dry out.
Not sure of the ratings in the US but in Aust we have H3 (for above ground uses eg fencing and H4 for in ground use) I use H3 fencing palings as my source material.
 
So long as it is not buried in part in earth it should be ok. I have treated pine 3ft (circa 20 years old) in the air on posts located in metal fencing posts where the post square where the wood sits is above ground. All now over 10 years old with no degredation.
 
Most pressure treat yellow pine has large growth rings, meaning there is alot of softwood in any given piece. That's okay for large members like 2x4s and 4x4s. However, if you are attempting to make scale sized lumber, you may find that the structural integrity is compromised. Ask me how I know.

While I am one for re-purposing old material I have around, I would think you'd be better served by procuring a denser wood. Mahogany, White oak, or Ipe' a member of the Mahogany species.

Better yet, get a hold of one of the man made materials, like AZEK or any of its competitors, AZEK being the most costly. Some decking material is of the composite type. One board can yield quite a bit of scale sized lumber.
 
Thanks everyone! This helps. Just wanting to confirm what I suspected I already knew, but good to throw it out there for additional insights, and I did get some.

The advice '... Do not paint inside of the buildings as this lets the wood "breath" and any water ingress to dry out. ...' is of particular note - I would not have thought of that. Though, wouldn't the 'imbalance' of moisture on the outside (better protected due to paint) vs the inside (bare) cause some warping potentially? Or are scaled models outside small enough that we can safely ignore that? I would think sealing the inside a bit (deck sealer for example) for additional protection should be fine, or is that over doing it?

(To be honest, I'd still enjoy making new structures if it all went to crap due to the weather. :) )

Thanks everyone.
 
dunnyrail said:
Yes Creosote was the stuff when we were allowed to use it.
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Creo"coat" just not the same but "Dont ya just love the smell of Deisel on your fence in the morning !"
Fred Seider said:
Thanks everyone! This helps. Just wanting to confirm what I suspected I already knew, but good to throw it out there for additional insights, and I did get some.

The advice '... Do not paint inside of the buildings as this lets the wood "breath" and any water ingress to dry out. ...' is of particular note - I would not have thought of that. Though, wouldn't the 'imbalance' of moisture on the outside (better protected due to paint) vs the inside (bare) cause some warping potentially? Or are scaled models outside small enough that we can safely ignore that? I would think sealing the inside a bit (deck sealer for example) for additional protection should be fine, or is that over doing it?

(To be honest, I'd still enjoy making new structures if it all went to crap due to the weather. :) )

Thanks everyone.
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You have got me thinking to be honest, Decking planks might be a good "wooden" hut in the woods due to the ribbing pattern.
 
Paul M said:
How do you know? :giggle:
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:rofl:.....Years ago I built some trestle bents from strips I cut from a PT 2x4. They did not hold up well after a couple years .
 
The water sealer you could use after a wood stain is nothing more than old fashion wood glue (the white one) dilute it with water.
At the otherhand why not buy a plastic sheet with woodgrain on it.
 
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