Topic: Tanalised wood for raised beds

[chappy]

Hi all,

I'm looking to get some timber to use fo raised beds and was thinking that tanalised wood would be best so it won't rot.  But having read about some of the checmical used, such as Arsenic, I'm not so sure I want to use it.

But obviously untreated wood is not going to last long in contact with the ground.

I'm in a bit of a quandry and not sure which way to go.

Any opinions/suggestions?

Regards,

Chappy.

[jjt]

Personally i'd just go ahead and use it.You're talking about miniscule amounts of chemicals which're present in soil anyway and unless your plot's in an oxygen tent or something there's all kinds of probably worse stuff floating onto it from planes,cars etc.
       Look in edible plants section for thread called pressure treated timber[search thing doesn't work so flick through yourself].

[chappy]

Personally i'd just go ahead and use it.You're talking about miniscule amounts of chemicals which're present in soil anyway and unless your plot's in an oxygen tent or something there's all kinds of probably worse stuff floating onto it from planes,cars etc.
       Look in edible plants section for thread called pressure treated timber[search thing doesn't work so flick through yourself].

lol.  wish I'd checked your response earlier.  I went and bought 20 meters of planed untreated timber in the end.  If it only lasts a few years then so be it, I'll have time to think about what to do next time round.  Just seemed at odds to go with a chemically treated wood, when trying to grow organically. :)

I have been having a look around for "organic" or "eco friendly" wood preservatives to treat it with so might find a solution yet to make it last.

I'll also line the internal walls (run off from weed supressing membrane) so they will not be in as direct contact with the soil as they might have been.

Anyway, just want to get it done now as I'm way behind with things.  These should have been sorted in Autumn really.

Thanks for the reply though.

Cheers,

Chappy.

[louise stella]

I think the answer is no! - tanalised timber does leak arsenic etc and if you are Organic it kinda defeats the object!  Wood lasts few years and there are some Organic friendly treatments that you can use on it.

I don't use any wood on my beds - they raise themselves naturally and it's easy enough to keep them in a decent shape without support - but I suppose that depends on your soil and the reason you have raised beds in the first place. 

Louise

[flytrapman]

I understood that if the tanalized wood is older than 2 yers they did use arsenic in the proccess, but they no longer use it.

[cambourne7]

i paid a little extra and got my tananized wood with organic treatment.

I think i paid £2 for a 30 min wide 10ft board.

[steveuk]

i use sleepers , they will see me out lol