Pressure Treated Wood Foundations Explained
The undisputed durability of wood foundations has made them a popular choice for residential and commercial construction. Wood foundations need minimal maintenance and offer years of worry-free performance. The aging process may induce some minor problems, but wood foundations are easy-to-repair.
Wood foundations are an affordable choice, and their structural stability is on par with other contemporary foundation systems. Before choosing a wooden foundation for your basement, you should have complete knowledge about their different features.
1. Understanding Pressure Treated Wood Preparation
Most wood foundations are made from pressure treated wood. This wood is regarded as the safest choice for household foundations because it is resistant against weather extremes and structural stress.
Pressure treatment is essentially an industrial process. It involves infusing a special adhesive-like chemical within the grain of the wood; however, some homeowners insist upon making treated wood more durable by further coating it with wood adhesives.
This form of household wood treatment is a way of accentuating the desirable properties of treated wood. Plain lumber cannot be pressure treated in a conventional household set-up. It is advisable to buy retailed, pressure-treated wood, then modify it according to your basement requirements.
2. Understanding Treated Wood Advantages
Preservatives reduce the expansion and contraction. It makes the wood impermeable to water. The outer surface develops a distinct shiny appearance. Treated wood does not rot, even when it is exposed to sustained moisture. The pressure treatment lends it the strength to survive basement problems such as mold or fungus attacks and vermin infestations.
The pressure treatment also makes the foundation safer, since the treated wood is fire-resistant. Pressure-treated wood is also available across a wide price and size range, suited for all basement requirements.
Treated wood for foundations can be bought as plywood, boards/posts, and lumber blocks. Treated wood is better equipped to handle deep-seated basement problems like cracks, which are induced by shifting of the underlying soil layers.
3. Greater Basement Flexibility
Wood foundations are a major cost-saver when one is remodeling or renovating. The reason lies in the ease with which plumbing and electrical installations can be established and retracted from wood foundations. The wood panels/boards can be easily removed and increased/decreased in number according to new landscaping requirements. Unlike concrete foundations, there is no need to destroy the basement to make wholesome changes.
4. Better Thermal Efficiency
The infusion of adhesives also raises the wood’s ability to conserve energy, which is why treated wood foundations are particularly recommended for homes in cold regions. Wood foundations retain heat, raising the overall thermal regulation of the house.
In warmer climates, wood foundations prevent the leakage of the internal, cooler air through the basement. That keeps the interiors cool and reduces dependence on air-conditioning devices.
5. Easy Installation and Repairing
Concrete foundations are expensive to establish. They require extensive leveling and curing; however, wood panels need minimal shaping and manipulation. The wooden boards can be easily secured with standard tools. There is no need to apply expensive adhesives. Treated wood doesn't crack easily, thus it is easier-to-handle during installation.
It can be installed in basements with highly acidic soils without chemically treating the sub-soil layers. That is a major cost saver. The wooden panels can be easily replaced through self-executed repairs if they crack. Substitute paneling is easily available at hardware stores. The panel bits can be easily installed with conventional, household tools which require little woodworking expertise.
