Pressure Treaded Woods

Elevated walkways at a Nature Center:
An Environmentally Benign Alternative to Concrete Paths.

Recent projects involved walkways constructed of Southern Pine lumber. One particular zoo project featured 600 feet of elevated walkways which were built ten feet high to provide views into enclosures with prairie wolves, bald eagles, bison, deer, grizzly bears and other wildlife.

The project coordinator pointed out that the rustic look and natural feel of wood and the fact that it is a renewable resource as reasons for choosing the raised walkways rather than conventional paths or paved sidewalks. He also pointed out that the timber walks gave his design group an economical way to change elevations and hide barriers between animal and visitors, adding that the Southern Pine framing is a natural material, which fits into the environment and it is adaptable for adjustments at the job site.

Basic Design Guidelines for Walkway Construction

Elevated walkways are an excellent alternative for wetland filling and the associated negative environmental impacts. Meandering elevated walkways through forests, wildlife sanctuaries and nature preserves offer pedestrians and cyclists opportunities to view environmentally sensitive areas from a new perspective, while allowing minimal impact on the natural activity of such an area.

Walkway construction in wet-lands and other environmentally sensitive areas is a complex process with many variables - it requires extensive knowledge of local conditions and should only be undertaken by qualified professionals.

The proper evaluation of soils is critical to design and performance of the walkway structure. Sandy (granular) soils are usually quite predictable and yet are subject to scour and erosion. Clays (cohesive soils) may not be consistent in a given area and may vary widely within a single project. Even when viewed by an experienced design professional, soil analysis without benefit of testing by a qualified soil testing laboratory is approximate at best. The relatively low cost of a local certified testing lab is easily offset by the advantages of accurate quality and strength data.

Properly specified Southern Pine lumber should give long performance under all anticipated conditions. Materials that do not meet or exceed specifications should be rejected. Substitute materials may appear to offer short-term benefits, but such savings may translate into higher maintenance and repair costs for the owner.

Lumber is supplied in increments of two feet. To avoid unnecessary cutoff and waste, designs should be developed to utilize the full length. Remember that any field cuts damage the preservative effectiveness of treatment. Whenever possible, have cuts such as mortises or radius milling of edges completed prior to treatment or at least dip or brush these surfaces with copper naphthenate prior to installation.

One of the most aesthetically important aspects of a walkway is the handrail system. The handrails provide necessary safety for children and the handicapped and offer an eye-pleasing site when designed properly. Note common practice of leaving 1" to 2" space between decking and bottom rail to aid draining and cleaning of deck.

An emerging practice is the use of stainless steel screws in deckboards. This allows for the removal of screws and turning over of deckboards after a long period of time, resulting in a fresh deck surface at low cost.


Golf Cart and Small Vehicular Bridge Applications

Golf courses around the country are experiencing genuine success by expanding and incorporating elevated cart paths and bridges made of preservatively treated Southern Pine lumber. Club developers like the timber cart paths and bridges because their natural look blends in with the environment and they eliminate the need for fill, thus providing for easier access to obtaining environmental permits.

 Garden & Outdoor Ideas

Many Great Outdoor ideas start here: "...let's build a deck!"

Quite simply the floor of an outdoor livingroom, a new deck can be an elaborate multilevel expanse or simply an attractive, comfortable retreat with built-in seating, maybe a planter or two.

Whatever the design, pressure-treated Southern Pine lumber is the ideal choice for your new deck or deck addition. Available in a wide variety of grades and sizes, CCA-treated Southern Pine is easy to work, and can be painted or stained, just like untreated wood. In fact, CCA-treated lumber delivers all the favorable properties of wood, plus a bonus: it resists decay and termite attack even in the most severe exposures.

 

Treated Pine Around the Garden

Pressure-Treated Southern Pine is so easy to work and finish that you're likely to design as you build. The planter/bench can take on hundreds of design possibilities. Creative landscaping offers more opportunities to showcase durable CCA-treated Southern Pine. The preservative treatment is highly resistant to leaching and will not harm plants or vegetables.