Any exposed wood, pressure treated or not, should be protected with a high quality water repellent finish or stain with water repellent to help reduce warping, checking, and splitting. If you desire to apply paint, stain, clear water repellent, or other finish to your preservative treated wood, we recommend following the manufacturer’s instructions and label of the finishing product. Before you start, we recommend you apply the finishing product to a small exposed test area before finishing the entire project to insure it provides the intended result before proceeding.
See product End Tag for information and guidelines regarding correct use of fasteners and hardware for the treated wood product you are using. Specific precautions are required with some preservative products when selecting nails, screws and other hardware, and when used in contact with aluminum building materials. Use fasteners and hardware that are in compliance with the manufacturer’s recommendations and the building codes for their intended use. Refer to the Fastener and Hardware Information page for additional information.
Drill pilot holes, especially when nailing or screwing near the edge or end of a board. Pilot holes will help minimize splitting.
During construction, should the wood become wet, butt deck boards together. As the wood dries, some shrinkage can be expected. If the wood is dry, allowing for shrinkage is not necessary.
As a general rule, attach boards bark side up (annual rings arc upward) to reduce cupping; however, the best face should be placed up when a defect of the wood is apparent. Fasten thin boards to thicker boards to maintain structural integrity.