Treated Pine Vs Hardwood Joists
Radius edged cedar pressure treated and composite decking share similarities.
Treated pine vs hardwood joists. Until a few years ago the irc didn t have deck joist span tables. Compare quotes from deck builders find pros composite versus wood decking. X 8 the 2 in. Every piece meets the highest grading standards for strength and appearance.
The table includes spans for. All three choices 5 4 x 6 in. Cedar composite decking features the look of cedar. Treated pine however is not rated the same as hardwood so the spans sizes will differ.
Joists that are at least 45 mm wide seasoned hardwood and treated soft wood or 50 mm wide unseasoned hardwood are recommended in order to avoid splitti ng when receiving nails or screws from placement of decking boards. 100 x 50 hardwood floor joists traditionally spanned 1800mm i ve seen them up to 2000mm in some old houses and were rated f8 for the same span in treated pine rated f5 or mgp10 you would need to go up a size to 140 x 45mm. This lumber is pressure treated in order to protect it from termites fungal. Many manufacturers make options to mimic other popular styles such as redwood or ipe.
Now research shows that h4 or h5 treated pine in logs will outlast untreated and treated hardwood of all classes except class 1 treated hardwood when used in the ground but h4 and h5 treated pine with more than 20 truewood especially if the truewood is on the outside will last far less than hardwood. Treated pine is perfectly acceptable and as others have stated is in some ways preferable to hardwood. Pressure treated hem fir lumber is ideal for a variety of applications including decks landscaping stair support walkways and other outdoor projects where lumber is exposed to the elements. Decks get wet and may be framed with incised treated lumber so spans may have to be adjusted.
When fixing common treated pine decking boards 22mm thick to softwood timber joists 8 or 10 gauge screws are recommended. They re all rot resistant to varying degrees require 16 in. Probably the most difficult decision to make when building a wood deck is what type of decking to use. Ipe a brazilian hardwood.
Joist spacing for.