Treatment for cut end of pressure treated decking

[quercus320]

Hi,

I'm currently building a deck, using pressure treated timber for bearers, and also pressure treated softwood decking boards.

Does anyone have any recommendations for treatments for the cut ends of the joists and boards? I've found a couple of products:
- Ronseal Decking End Grain Preserver
- Ensele End Grain Preserver

But both of them look to be only available in quite a deep green colour, which looks like it will stand out quite starkly on the end of the boards.

Does anyone have any experience of using these, and is the colour much different to the standard green-tinted finish of tanalised softwood? Or do you know of any other products which would be good for this.


Grateful for any suggestions!

Thanks,
Paul

 

[Thermo]

its pressure treated, that means the treatment goes all the way through the wood, no point in coating the end grain, but up to you really

 

[quercus320]

Thanks, Thermo.

Hmmm, I didn't think that was the case... Doesn't pressure treatment cause the treatment to penetrate further into the wood, as described here: http://www.grangewoodfencing.com/news/about-pressure-treated-timber/25/05/2009/ , but not all the way through?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

I thought whether 100% penetration is achieved depends on the wood species?

 

[HERTS P&D]

Hi,

You could use cuprinol 5 star which can be sprayed onto the end grain. Which is also clear.

The best treatment that comes from the timber merchants is 'vac-vac' treated timber - but it is expensive.


Andy

 

[andyperry123]

Hi, I brushed a Cuprinol wood preserver on all cut ends. It was recommended by the timber yard I got my wood from. It comes in 'clear' (which I used) and a couple of colours. Only time will tell if it's any good, but it looks fine!

Andy

 

[JohnF1]

I realise the original post is old, but... people are still putting up decking and renewing old garden structures so a correct response is still relevant:

Take it from one who makes garden furniture that:

The best treatments are:

Ensele end grain treatment (as of the date of posting this reply, don't pay more than £15 per 1ltr can and it can be bought from a variety of places and on the internet)

Or:

Ronseal end grain treatment, ( a similar price and identical product) Available at Block and Quayle.

To dispel a myth and contradict some of what has been said on this page about the extent of penetration in the tanalising process. The treatment does not go through the wood completely, particularly the thicker gauge stuff used in stretchers and bearers under decking. Any hole or cut made, needs end grain treatment to re-proof the exposed and untreated wood.

Cuprinol 5* treatment is not the equivalent and is more suited to dealing with the effects of airborne humidity in roof spaces than real dampness arising from close proximity to the ground or pooled water on a flat roof.


As to colours, both the Ronseal and the Ensele looks green in the tin but once applied will change and blend in... Ensele does come in Brown but only in 5ltr cans as far as I am aware.

There is a whole other subject area in terms of dipping in preservative, (as in fence panels) which is a different process entirely. Look at it this way, if you like: Tanalising is the 'waterproofing method', dipping in a tank of preservative is the 'showerproof method'. So before you go there, dipping cut ends in a preservative tank or a can of the same stuff is not as good as applying Ensele or Ronseal end grain treatment.