Deck railings -- treated or White Oak? - Printable Version +- Woodnet Forums (https://www.forums.woodnet.net) +-- Thread: Deck railings -- treated or White Oak? (/showthread.php?tid=7357265) Pages:
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Deck railings -- treated or White Oak? - Wild Turkey - 08-19-2020 I can get KD WO locally -- 4/4 $4.75 and 8/4 $6.65 Considering the quality etc of current treated wooc I'm wondering if WO would be better if I'm looking at a 20-year life-span? I'll be using powder coated square metal balusters screwed to the rails, looking at about 60' total for the project. Which will have less maintenance? Thanks RE: Deck railings -- treated or White Oak? - jteneyck - 08-19-2020 IMO pressure treated will be easier to maintain and last at least 20 years. WO is rot resistant but loves to turn gray/black with mold unless you keep it clean and treated with some sort of coating. When it weathers it tends to get rough, too; not something I'd want in a handrail. John RE: Deck railings -- treated or White Oak? - Bill Wilson - 08-19-2020 I'm developing a deep dislike for just about anything PT these days. Much of the time, the wood becomes unusable shortly after you bring it home, unless you immediately screw/nail/bolt it down tight. The treatment used now isn't nearly as effective as the old stuff, IMHO. Yes, I know it's supposed to be less toxic. UV rays are the worst enemy of any lumber that isn't in direct & constant contact with water and/or the ground. I don't know if white oak is your best option or not, but if it is going to be exposed to much UV, you are going to have to paint/coat it with something, regardless what you use, or it's going to look terrible in a few, short years. And that includes PT, AFAIC. RE: Deck railings -- treated or White Oak? - Rob Young - 08-19-2020 Can man-made materials such as Trex be had in sizes suitable for handrails? I know that Trex sells matching handrail systems for their deck products but those may not be suitable for the OP's project. For the most part, the man-made deck materials can be worked and machined with the usual tools so maybe an option? And if you are borrowing your neighbor's tools, consider Ipe. RE: Deck railings -- treated or White Oak? - fredhargis - 08-19-2020 PT won't have a problem lasting 20 years (neither will WO), so choose following your gut. I suspect there will be about the same maintenance depending on how you want it to look. RE: Deck railings -- treated or White Oak? - overland - 08-19-2020 To me this is an easy choice: I've used white oak on a park bench in our side yard to replace some of the slats. It works fine and will last a long time. I don't finish it; I just let it weather as is. In any case I would much rather use a local wood than something treated. RE: Deck railings -- treated or White Oak? - Tony Z - 08-19-2020 In North Central PA, the pressure treated quality is less than white oak. I have 5/4 PT deck boards, less than a decade old, that needed replaced. On the other hand, I have some side tables, on the deck, made from WO that look just fine, weathered "as is". Our PT is available from a big box store and a local lumber yard: no difference is quality. For me, I'd go with white oak. RE: Deck railings -- treated or White Oak? - Stwood_ - 08-20-2020 White Oak will turn gray and weather just fine. How long has it lasted as siding on old barns....... RE: Deck railings -- treated or White Oak? - jteneyck - 08-21-2020 (08-20-2020, 08:42 PM)Stwood_ Wrote: White Oak will turn gray and weather just fine. I'm not arguing the longevity of white oak, but vertical orientation lasts a lot longer than horizontal. Pine and hemlock last a really long time as barn siding. John RE: Deck railings -- treated or White Oak? - Stwood_ - 08-21-2020 All the old county bridges that are long gone now due to heavier traffic, used 3" white oak for planking. Rain, snow, rocks, dirt......abused for 50-75? years |