The Future of Pressure-Treated Lumber
“Today’s pressure-treated lumber is designed to last as long, or longer, than it would take to grow the trees to replace it—now that's resource preservation."
Treated lumber is a popular building material that plays a key role in the construction of many structures in the Pacific Northwest. Our good friend Dennis McWhirter is an expert on pressure-treated wood, with nearly three decades of experience in the industry. In this series, Dennis provides answers to some common questions, and reminds us why treating lumber is one of the best things we can do to help preserve our greatest renewable resource.
Building green comes down to extending the lifespan of our materials so we can better preserve our natural resources. In this video, Dennis tells us about treated lumber’s place in eco-friendly construction and what the future holds. Watch our interview above or read the recap of our conversation below.
What is a green building product?
Building materials are considered green if they are renewable, rather than non-renewable. Building green is all about making the most use of construction materials to decrease a structure’s carbon footprint. The longer the lifespan of renewable building materials, the greener—or more environmentally friendly—they are.
What is the best green building product?
You might be surprised to learn that pressure-treated wood is one of the original “green,” or eco-friendly, building products. Building green means preserving materials in a way that extends their lifespan. Because of how it’s treated, pressure-treated lumber lasts as long—or longer—than it would take to grow a tree to replace it.
Where is the treated lumber industry headed?
Lumber is a truly renewable resource, and it provides us with so many materials—from paper to the structures that shelter us. Wherever the green building industry goes, we’re going to continue to do everything we can to preserve and protect our greatest renewable resource.
Looking for more trusted advice about working with treated lumber? Learn about how long pressure-treated lumber lasts and how it's made.
