"Paint, paint, paint" is the only motto other than location, location,
location that has any bearing on the value of real estate. Paint all mating
surfaces before assembly. I once worked for a guy who would have us soak
pine boards in covered tanks of preservative for weeks on end. The boards
were fully dressed with hand planes before their bath. Then, when we cut the
boards in the field the cut ends would be immersed in preservative for as
long as possible -- ten to fifteen minutes -- and painted (often with lead
paste) before being nailed home. We would generally remember to test fit
boards before preserving and painting, but would forget on occasion -- oy,
what a mess. While this process takes a bit of planning -- and ultimately is
slower than slapping the wood up unpainted -- I have not seen one of these
jobs fail.

Painting with wood that will receive a clear finish is a bit more difficult.
I try to tint primer or use a finish paint with a color close to the color
of the wood. This is exterior work after all -- a few specks of errant color
here and there will hardly be noticed when leaves, dirt, stones, etc. get
ground into the decking.

As for plastic -- tar paper, flashing -- between the decking and the joists.
I don't see the harm, but I am not sure it helps much. Plastic is probaly
not very durable compared with asphalt-saturated felt or metal flashing.
Haven't ever tried the "self-healing" membranes.

That said, time to go home.

Sign me,

Blanco Polumbo

-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Cagnetta [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Wednesday, February 16, 2000 9:05 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Rotten Pressure Treated


Actually, the wood was under a few conditions that may have cause both
the CCA leaching out and fungal attack.  The pine 4x6 was about 4" off
the ground, and the previous builder put plastic between the timber and
the fir floor boards.  Then there was the bases of the columns that were
sitting on the deck, covering about a 10" by 10" area.  The building
sits in a wonderful grove, allowing the moisture to sit, and sit.....
The fir was rotten under the bases, then under the floor the corners of
the CCA treated lumber were rotten.  It was more of the looks of brown
or soft rot, where the wood just turned to powder.  So I assume the
treatment had leached out, and the CCA pine just degraded naturally.
Oh, it was about 20 yrs old.

i hope to cure this problem by perhaps blocking the bases up about 1/4"
with Brazilian mohog? between the bases and the fir, and not put plastic
over the framing.  Also, I may apply Amteco, an anti fungal wood
preservative, to keep the deck from absorbing as much moisture.  The
trees around it may also be cleared a bit, so perhaps this may not
happen again.