The greatest growth for pressure-treated wood in the past 15 years has come in the residential and commercial decking market.
Most of the pressure-treated wood used in decking and other home construction projects is factory treated with chromated copper arsenate (CCA). Lumber that has been treated with CCA bears the familiar green-to-light-brown appearance and is imparted with a resistance to decay and insects, providing an almost indefinite service life. Originally, manufacturers of CCA-treated wood promoted their lumber as a “maintenance free” product. However, it was soon recognized that preservative treatment alone did little to address the important performance properties of surface appearance and dimensional stability. Consumers realized that the aesthetic appearance of their decks was just as important to them as the long-term structural integrity.