Do you know treated wood? Take the qutzl

\f,/uerHeR rr's FRArvrrNc. paneling V V or decking, wood has been the top selection ofbuilders for decades. But let's talk about pressure treated wood for a minute: this old familiar still holds the number one spot when it comes to decking material of choice. This durable, beautiful, tried-and-true product has grown and adapted with the marketplace over the last decadebut how much do you really know about it? Test yourself and see !

True or False?

. Real pressure treated wood decking has one of the lowest environmental impacts overall among decking materials.

TRUE. Wood requires less energy to manufacture and releases substantially less greenhouse gases than alternative decking products.

. Pressure treated wood is safe for residential use around people or pets.

TRUE. Pressure-treated wood is safe for the home and garden.

Pressure treated wood decking contains arsenic or other toxins.

FALSE. Pressure treated wood products intended for residential and recreational use are manufactured with waterborne preservatives. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which evaluates and registers preservatives for specific treated wood applications, has never found any unreasonable risk to human health and the environment from the preservatives used in pressure treated wood. In fact, approved preservatives used in the marketplace right now are not even required to be registered with the EPA.

Pressure treated wood is the strongest decking material on the market.

TRUE. Real pressure treated wood is the only material strong enough to support itself.

Choosing wood decking is bad for the environment.

FALSE. Wood is 1007o renewable, recyclable, reusable and biodegradable. Each year, more trees are planted than are harvested, resulting in healthy, thriving forests. Sustainable forests in the U.S. are in better shapeand more plentiful !than they were a century ago.

Scientists know that young trees use less oxygen and are better at carbon sequestration. Bottom line: young, vibrant, well-managed forests = a healthier breathing environment for all of us.

Next time a customer asks for a decking material opinion, stop and think. Maybe even do a little research yourself online. Then go with the environmentally friendly, renewable resource that's strong, durable, beautiful and affordable-choose real wood.