Landscape timbers

Geo-TH,In · Oct 14, 2016

I'll never buy them again.

25 years ago I put good landscape timbers around my house. Still look good.

The landscape timbers in pic are 12 years old. What good are they if they fall apart? After they removed the arsenic, junk.
George

Adirondack case guy · Oct 14, 2016

"Poor George" I think some female Gov. coined that phrase.
I think your Termite had babies. HeHeHe.
Loren

Geo-TH,In · Oct 14, 2016

Loren,
Instead of having stumps ground off, I made stump covers using landscape timbers. A stump cover is what I call a raised flower bed over the stump. Well I used Terramite to remove the flowers and dirt. Termites eat the stump and most likely eat the timbers got desert.
George

Adirondack case guy · Oct 14, 2016

Hey George, I got a bowl of Vinilley icecream with pure maple syrup smeard over it. You should be here and we could both share a brain freeze together. HeHe.
Loren

Rons b · Oct 14, 2016

They use a copper sulfate that works only if is a true pressure treat and not just a coating. I Try and use old railroad ties when I can find them. They still use the asphalt pressure treat.

Ivan in Mich · Oct 14, 2016

Thats your problem you have been baiting the termites in and they ate the wrong thing

3000OH · Oct 14, 2016

Can't explain about the older ones but even 25+ yrs ago I was told not to expect landscape timbers to last, they're the core center of logs that have been peeled to make plywood (which is why there are 2 flats on 'em), and the core heartwoods don't/can't be expected to soak up the treatment like the outer rings. Yes, the treatments years ago were better at resisting rot. Maybe all of this is incorrect, I've never checked, but I did have some of the 25 yr old ones rot away, too.

Geo-TH,In · Oct 14, 2016

Sounds good, ice cream.

Jerry Coulter · Oct 14, 2016

I think that was a line by Barbara Bush.

JimS · Oct 14, 2016

The pressure treated are just as bad here. I notice when I cut them, the PT is in only an inch or so. I set PT posts 5 years ago and they are snapping off now. I dug out the wood in the concrete and set a bracket that I set the post on. From now on, only metal posts or brackets with posts set on top.

macec3(TX) · Oct 14, 2016

Now days there is a difference in the treatment.
Cheap landscaper timbers are .32
Full ground contact are .40
Full water contact are .60

These numbers on the tag at the end.

showcrop · Oct 14, 2016

I built a retaining wall out of new creosoted railroad ties 26 years ago. They are still solid, but I doubt that they would burn the skin any more like I got on my arm when putting them in.

Geo-TH,In · Oct 15, 2016

If memory is correct, my 25 year old timbers were called brown treated. They were bigger and more expensive. Not sure what brown treated are. I can't find them anymore. Today all I can find at the lumber yard are junk green treated. No more timbers in my future. Last few stumps get a foot of dirt and grass seeds. Usually takes about 10 years for termites to do their job. Then the ground will settle after a good rain.

showcrop · Oct 15, 2016

(quoted from post at 06:05:27 10/15/16) If memory is correct, my 25 year old timbers were called brown treated. They were bigger and more expensive. Not sure what brown treated are. I can't find them anymore. Today all I can find at the lumber yard are junk green treated. No more timbers in my future. Last few stumps get a foot of dirt and grass seeds. Usually takes about 10 years for termites to do their job. Then the ground will settle after a good rain.

Probably creosote. Mine are approx. 9x12 inches, but they are not probably available anymore.

Bret4207 · Oct 16, 2016

(quoted from post at 23:04:19 10/14/16) Now days there is a difference in the treatment.
Cheap landscaper timbers are .32
Full ground contact are .40
Full water contact are .60

These numbers on the tag at the end.

Exactly. Check the tags. The cheapies at Lowes specifically say "Not approved for ground contact applications"!!! What we're supposed to do with them I don't know, but find some place that sells treated approved for building docks or some water type application and they'll last. If course they won't cost $1.99 for an 8 footer on special either. Expect to pay $10.00 or more each.

Landscape timbers

Geo-TH,In

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Adirondack case guy

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Geo-TH,In

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Adirondack case guy

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Rons b

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Ivan in Mich

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3000OH

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Geo-TH,In

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Jerry Coulter

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JimS

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macec3(TX)

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showcrop

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Geo-TH,In

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showcrop

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Bret4207

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