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OT--Landscape Timbers? ?

J

Jiles

Well-known Member
What is the purpose of Landscape Timbers?
In my area, all landscape timber I have found have an end tag that states "Not Suitable for Ground Contact" !
 
Timbers will rot in earth contact. If treated, they can be made to last longer, but not permanent. there are differing levels of toxicity used to prevent
initial rot. at some point the toxicity is considered illegal. From Wikipedia)The American Wood Protection Association (AWPA) standards for ACQ require a
retention of 0.15 lb/ft3 (PCF) for above ground use and 0.40 lb/ft3 for ground contact.nt the toxicity becomes an environmental hazard. States regulate this to
reduce the eventual toxic chemicals (often sellers of wood products are prevented from selling the heavily treated material). Jim
Wiki link
 

If you want some "landscape" timbers that will last many, many years. go get some railroad ties. Even the lesser quality examples will last for a long time when used as a landscaping material.
 
Just a guess, but I would think that means they are not for structural use, as they will soon rot.

Intended for flower beds, minor erosion control, etc.
 
Used some as fence posts about 15 years ago, they're still holding up. How much longer they'll last? Beats me.

But the newer ones (from what I understand) don't have the same level/type of treatment, they'll rot faster.

Fred
 
My understanding is that Landscape timbers are what is left over when a log is shaved down to make plywood. It is generally the center part of the log and tends to have higher percentage of resins. these parts of the log will not absorb the treatment as the cells are full of the resins. The rest of the post will accept the treatment in a normal manner but that is generally not very much of the post. This is the reason they are not rated for ground contact as they cannot absorb the required lbs./cubic foot of treatment to be designated "Ground Contact"
 
I used some for posts about twenty years ago. They've all rotted off at the ground now. And I've seen plenty of rotted landscape timbers elsewhere. I suppose they'll last OK in a dry climate, but certainly not anywhere east of the Mississippi.

Actually ALMOST ALL of the pressure-treated lumber carried by big box stores and lumberyards is not treated for ground contact. You have to check carefully these days. But the treatment of so-called "landscape timbers" seems to be particularly poor. I think they drive a truckload of them past the treatment plant and call it good.
 
We used to use them for the horizontal brace on fence corners. They used to work well. Something changed about 10 years ago because the new ones rot out in about 7 years...
 

Another thing that you should look at is the timeline. I would put it at from 45 to 25 years ago that they were popular. This is of course before the treatment became known as bad for the groundwater, etc. In the past twenty five years, at least in my part of the country, no one has put any in the ground. Everyone has been using stone or masonry blocks and building "hardscapes". In ground that has any moisture, they are now mostly at the end of their lifespan. It is just progress. If you are not too old you will most likely see many other things pass in their usefulness and thus popularity.
 
I agree that sapwood absorbs most of the treatment--it is steamed for a while then put under vacuum to pull out the resins, about 75% of the treatment is absorbed thru the end grain. Timber with little sapwood is incised to make it easier to absorb the treatment but that leaves the surfaces rough
 
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