End grain sealer for PT?

[Andrew Wayland]

Is endgrain sealed needed for PT? If so: what do you recommend?

Looking to build a deck: and the jury seems out on if it’s needed or not (local Home Depot doesn’t have the fancy products people recommend, which makes me think it’s not something used)

[Alex Zeller]

I'm sure any of the usual endgrain sealers would work assuming the wood isn't too wet. I've never used it as i didn't care if the boards checked. On the south American hardwood decking it's needed. But when you buy a premium product you also want it to look the best it can.

[Roger Feeley]

Is endgrain sealed needed for PT? If so: what do you recommend?

Looking to build a deck: and the jury seems out on if it’s needed or not (local Home Depot doesn’t have the fancy products people recommend, which makes me think it’s not something used)

I'm a big fan of capping any lumber with the end grain facing the sky. I use either plastic or metal caps on my fence posts. I even capped the vertical members of my grandsons play set that were starting to rot out. I used an epoxy sealer first to stabilize the posts as best I could then capped them.

Years ago, I built a pergola and covered the tops of some members with copper flashing. Around the ocean, they cap pier posts with copper.

[Andrew Wayland]

See: this is only for the framing. I’m just trying to extend the life of it. It doesn’t seem to be common practice?

[Jim Becker]

I've seen folks use aluminum to cap engrain on structure as well as Zip-tape, especially when it will not be seen.

[Joe Adams]

No need to seal the ends of framing especially if you're buying PT rated for ground contact. It is worth capping (as was suggested) any ends that face up. Spend the extra money on fasteners that will not corrode from the treatment chemicals. Hot-dip galvanized or stainless steel fasteners, anchors and hardware are recommended by the Preservative Treated Wood Industry for use with treated wood.

Preservative Treated Wood FAQshttps://www.strongtie.com/products/product-use-information/corrosion-information/pressure-treated-wood-faq#:~:text=Hot%2Ddip%20galvanized%20or%20stainles s,the%20alternative%20copper%2Dbased%20products.

[Andrew Wayland]

Perfect. That’ll save time and money.

I don’t think I’ll have any endgrain exposed directly to water anyways: so it likely won’t need capping either.

[Brian W Evans]

I have no data or even personal experience yet to say if it's worth it, but I recently used a product called Woodlife Coppercoat (https://www.homedepot.com/p/Wolman-1-qt-CopperCoat-Green-Below-Ground-Wood-Preservative-6-Pack-1904A/204746310). Home Depot carries it online but not in my local stores so I bought it at a True Value. I believe I first saw a similar product on This Old House, where one of the guys said that cut ends of PT lumber which will be in contact with the ground should get a coat of the stuff. The rationale was that the PT chemicals only penetrate so far into the lumber, and if you cut the lumber you're exposing unprotected, or less protected wood.

Again, I don't know if it's necessary or even effective, but it was cheap, so I figured I would use it.

[Andrew Wayland]

I have no data or even personal experience yet to say if it's worth it, but I recently used a product called Woodlife Coppercoat (https://www.homedepot.com/p/Wolman-1-qt-CopperCoat-Green-Below-Ground-Wood-Preservative-6-Pack-1904A/204746310). Home Depot carries it online but not in my local stores so I bought it at a True Value. I believe I first saw a similar product on This Old House, where one of the guys said that cut ends of PT lumber which will be in contact with the ground should get a coat of the stuff. The rationale was that the PT chemicals only penetrate so far into the lumber, and if you cut the lumber you're exposing unprotected, or less protected wood.

Again, I don't know if it's necessary or even effective, but it was cheap, so I figured I would use it.

That was one of the products I came across: seems not too many people carry these products, so I'm guessing it's not bad to go without it.

I DO plan on putting up 6x6 PT posts for the roof support, so I may consider it for those ends.... If I can find it locally that is!

[Neil Gaskin]

We use anchor seal on all of our deck framing end grain. Jury is still out on long term impact but the cost isn’t bad for the good feeling and potential gain.

[Bill Dufour]

Look at a telephone pole sometime. the top is cut at about 10-15 degrees from level. This slope lets the water run off and not soak in so deep. This is about the same angle as a window sill, for the same reason. Even a terracotta window sill is sloped that way, otherwise it looks "wrong".
Bill D.