Home Repair and Paint Guide

... Some projects require you to calculate the amount of lumber needed in board feet. For instance, a lumber yard might ask for this figure to provide a price quote, although I haven’t personally had to do this. I usually create a materials list and hand it to the person at the projects counter for a quote. If you need to calculate the board foot requirement when ordering materials, see our post at Lumber Size and Calculating Board Feet. Pressure treated deck lumber should be used for structural parts such as posts, joists, and beams. It’s generally stronger and supports more weight than cedar, redwood, or other woods and will last for many years. Pressure treated lumber is rated by pounds of preservative retained per cubic foot of wood. Higher numbers mean greater protection against fungi and insect attack. Matching the rating to intended use will give adequate performance while helping to reduce overall costs. Pressure treated lumber is tagged with the treating solution and concentration that was used during manufacturing. The three common ratings are as follows: Above ground (.15 or .25). Used for the floor, railing, and other topside trim.  Ground-contact (.40). Posts, beams, or other items that will come into contact with the ground, but will never be buried.  Below-grade (.60). Posts and support items that are buried below grade.  When buying cedar or redwood lumber, select boards cut from heartwood. Heartwood contains the natural oils that give these woods their resistance to decay and insect attack. Sapwood (cut from the outer edges of the tree) lacks these oils. If you’re going to use redwood, look for lumber labeled “heartwood common”. This contains more heartwood than “construction common”. Buy wood that’s dry. Lumber that’s still saturated with the water can be twice as heavy as dry wood ...