Disadvantages of Pressure Treated Pine for Decking

Harmful: Even though industry standards have changed, the chemicals applied to treat lumber are harmful to the environment, especially in 2024. Here we lay out the disadvantages of pressure treated pine.

Discoloration: Wood is a natural product, so it is going to be affected by the elements, specifically, exposure to the sun. There’s a scientific process called photo-oxidation that causes the surface of the boards to grey, but, the process can be slowed through the application of stain or paint.

Living here in Toronto and the GTA  we experience seasons; four seasons. Well, for products that live outside all year; e.g., pressure treated wood decking, the industry calls material seasons – freeze-thaw cycles. In other words, during the winter we have ice and during the summer we have rain. What happens to the wood during this time is that water enters the pores of the wood, causing the wood to expand and contract as the water enters and leaves the wood. This process causes splits (or ‘checking’) in the wood.

In closing a deck is an extension of your living space, and we believe in creating a space that’s comfortable and enjoyable for years to come. Based on our experience in the deck building business, and our goal of delivering excellence to all our each client on every project, we do not recommend going with low grade product like pressure treated pine.

Pressure Treated Decking One Year Later