Advice on what treated posts to get for pole barn

benmack1

benmack1

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2010
Location
USA
I'm starting in on a 24x50x16 post frame building to store my camper and other assorted crap. I've been pricing some 6x6x20' treated posts. My question is what treatment should I select and what level. Here is what I am finding by calling my area lumber yards. I just listed a couple of what seem to be the highest treatment content I can find but I am getting some that have no idea wtf they are selling. Some trying to give me stuff that isn't up to spec for in ground use (MCA 0.14 is too low I think) and some telling me only it's OK for in ground but not able to give me specs (and I haven't even called the big box jokers).

Stock in Apex - Has CCA treated 0.80 pcf.

Tarheel Wood - MCA 0.25 pcf

Prices are within a couple bucks of each other so not a driver. What's better, what would you use? This will be an insulated, enclosed building (eventually), housing my 5th wheel trailer. My thinking was the CCA will be the best against rot but I am wondering if there are any concerns with that contaminating a well 200 ft away or the air inside the building with the trailer sitting inside for months on end?

Thoughts?
 
I wonder what treated light poles are? Seems they would need to be the best to last longest since they hold up our power???
 
I'd use MCA if it going to be for a residential application. The "A" in CCA is arsenic and that was banned for the most part for non-DOT/heavy timber use a few years ago.
Your common lumberyard CAC or MCA treatment should be more than sufficient. I'd verify with building and zoning before you do anything. This is especially true if the wood is actually treated with CCA.
 
Get ahold of the AWPA U1 standard and look up the area for round building pilings.

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No idea on regulations for a pole barn but I would think something 16' tall should have 8x8's. You could use a Simpson post base to set in the footing or bolt to it, depending on the type chosen. It would get you back to a 16' post. I can't imagine a 20' post being cheap. Weyerhaeuser makes a treated parallam post that has a great warranty but it isn't cheap.
 
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