Thread: How tell if the wood is pressure treated

All of the wood on the slab has a greenish color to it. In the kitchen this piece lying on the concreate slab has no greenish color. How can I tell if its been pressure treated. The second image has wood on the slab and the wood has a greenish color to it which is consistent throught the house


thanks
Matt

Similar Threads:

• Fuzzy wood under front porch
• Fireplace Wood to Gas
• Wood Structural Panel Sheathing or Siding Used to Resist Combined Shear & Uplift
• Exposed wood joist in return air
• Wood Burning Fireplace

Hard to tell from those photos. Pressure treated lumber will typically be marked as such. The markings are hard to miss. Alkaline Copper Quaternary (ACQ) is a green colored treatment that builders are using now on the lower 3' of framing members in new home contruction. It's green. Usually a lighter green than what you're showing in those photos and it's used to help prevent WDI (termite) infestation. They treat the grade, the slab and the lower 3' of framing lumber.

Pressure treated wood is not typically used on interior home framing. It's more for decks, fence posts, wood in contact with soil and such. Sometimes pine retains it's green color. From the photos it looks like the bottom plates are just wet. Were they wet?

Thanks Robert

Yes the ground was wet from the rain as no tar paper was installed yet. It Saint County Florida I believe any wood installed on the concrete slab directly has to be pressure treated. Almost every piece of wood looked green to me except for in the kitchen shown by the first image. It was darker but am not sure. I will ask the the builder and/or inpsecto
r. Thank you for your explanation in regards to the markings

Matt

If no markings are visible and color is not apparent, measure the width. Pressure treated is typically a little wider and thicker than it's non-treated counter part.

All the base plates in the pics look like treated wood
Pic 1 - drain isn't vented
Pic 2 - vent is downsized from the drain line, no air chambers installed in supplies
Both pics - your Code allows that cpvc crap for water supply?

Pressure treated wood (normally) will have little indentations on the wood where it has gone throw the pressure treating rollers. it could also be redwood but I can't tell from the pics. I have also seen the green color bleached out of the wood if it was out in the sun. since wood has not been flying out the door in the last couple of years, the wood may have sat out in the sun at the lumber yard.

Thank you Jim, Markus and Larry

I appreciate your reply and information. Yes in Jacksonville, Florida cpvc is allowed for hot water. I believe the bottom wood on the slab in image1 is a bit thicker I will confirm with the builder. I don't get much communication from him but I will be sure to ask

Matt

Matt , you are correct. ALL of the sill plate has to be PT,(in contact with slab). In FL it's not redwood....PT southern pine. It all looked to me to be PT, in fact in the first picture it looked like some of the studs may have also been PT. And Yes as far as I know , Cpvc is allowed statewide, unless local municipalites frown on it. Looks right to me.

Originally Posted by Markus Keller

Pic 1 - drain isn't vented
Pic 2 - vent is downsized from the drain line, no air chambers installed in supplies
Both pics - your Code allows that cpvc crap for water supply?

1. They allow AAV's here in Florida.
2. We don't install air chambers/arrestors. Can't say what's above the vent in that photo.
3. CPVC is used 75% of the time in new builds. PEX is next. Copper isn't used-too many issues here. (Yes, it's allowed here)

Originally Posted by Robert Slight

Alkaline Copper Quaternary (ACQ) is a green colored treatment that builders are using now on the lower 3' of framing members in new home contruction. It's green. Usually a lighter green than what you're showing in those photos and it's used to help prevent WDI (termite) infestation. They treat the grade, the slab and the lower 3' of framing lumber.

I had not seen this until inspection yesterday. 2006 house that obviously passed AHJ inspection. (this site is like having a crystal ball into the future )