Any thoughts, ideas, suggestions or comments about using sawn utility poles for decking material. I was going to use regular pressure treated (ACQ) , but got to looking at a local saw mill that offer sawn utility poles. They are treated (Creosote), and I like the look of them.
I know that the ACQ or CCA lumber ends up looking really bad after a couple of years with splits & twists, I was wondering if this would work out better?
Plus is less than half the ACQ cost.
-dave
Have you considered health impilications?
Egon
Creosote as opposed to ACQ? Both seem pretty bad but manageable as long as they are stained or painted.
I tell you what, I'd have health hazard concerns too! BUT I'd really hate to be that poor sucker sawing the board at saw mill! I've cut a few into with chain saw! They probably got some protection there thou! AND I"M SURE where there are concerns that there are some answers! But I don't have any!
I'd get some first and try them out in small quantity, if possible. The poles have deep checks in them and these checks would end up in some of the product, I would guess. For the individual sawing, seems these poles would have plenty of dirt and sand in the checks to make them tough to saw. In addition, planing of this sawn lumber would be necessary if used on a deck, I would think. That operation would be real rough on planer blades, IMO.
I'd be surprised it is a profitable way to go.
The treatment wouldn't bother me. Mostly hype, IMO. But that's our new age, and they may live longer because of it.
Actually they are not creosote they are Penta treated. Not sure if this is better or not. If looked at the boards, they are by no means clean but not really checked or split. There are some holes in the boards, where during the treatment process they insert CO2 style cannisters to inject the treatment to the center of the pole.
They will plane the decking surface.
Dont know about his business model or how he makes a buck, but he's selling a 1x6x16 for $5.84.
-dave
There are quite a few people doing this with dust masks etc. They can be good lumber but lots of hardware in them to risk hitting with the saw.
I was a lineman for SoCal Edison for 34 years and worked around creasote poles all the time. Just a bunch of malarkey about health IMO. I have no health problems whatsoever from this and neither do my ex-cowrkers. One note though, very hard on chainsaw blades.
You can buy a woodworkers metal detector (Little Wizard) for $20 and avoid hitting metal with expensive blades.
[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
"I'm not from your planet, monkey boy!"
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