Pressure Treated Wood

[aitch2ohboy]

I am planning on building a woodworking workbench soon, and I'd like to know if using pressure treated lumber is an acceptable wood choice. I have an inventory of 2x4s and 4x6s already from the demolition of a porch after our home was destroyed in 2008 (Hurricane Gustav) and I would like to put that lumber to good use. I realize that pressure treated lumber is corrosive, so I'd have to be extra careful in installing metals in contact with the lumber, like fasteners and the vises. Any help is appreciated.

 

[Blueb]

We just built a workbench but we used cherry wood. We had a cherry tree cut down. I don't know about using pressure treated wood. I'm sure it would work. You wouldn't have to stain it if it's inside.

 

[Marshall1]

I don't see anything wrong with using the p-t lumber , but I would use something different for the top - like a double layer of MDF screwed together for a thicher top . And it would be a better top - fo rit was in the plans of building my bench - when I build mine . I'll try and post a picture in my Gallery if I can find it .........MB

 

[aitch2ohboy]

Update on my P-T bench:

I built the whole workbench out of P-T lumber -- I call it my recycled porch workbench. I included a shelf using P-T tongue and groove boards from the old porch floor, and mounted it on the stretchers to store my hand planes. A few lessons I learned: 1) Make the tenons the dimension of a wood boring bit or forstener bit you already have to save hand chiseling effort. I made the tenons 1-1/4" wide instead of 1" wide; 2) I left the bottom of the 2x4s rounded, and that made cutting the mortises from the underside of the table difficult. I would recommend squaring off the bottom of the table; 3) Use a backer board when chiseling the mortises for the through tenons. I had some really bad tear out on two of the mortises; and 4) Using the jointer plane to level the top was very enjoyable. I recommend using a sharp plane for the primitive feel and sound of the plane going through the wood. I would post pictures if I knew how.

Thanks to all who commented on the use of P-T lumber for the project. I appreciate the comments and the encouragement.