Avoiding CCA-Treated Wood. If the wood has a greenish tint then it has been pressure-treated with CCA. People don't stain the bottom part, so look under the deck and see if it has a greenish tint.

Pressure-treated wood can last 15-20 years or more, depending on the environmental conditions and maintenance. Regular sealing and staining can extend its lifespan by providing additional ...

Other than the features that depend on the type of tree the wood came from (i.e. maple, oak, birch, etc.), how wood is used also comes down to whether or not it’s pressure treated.

Wood treated with CCA lasts about five times longer than untreated wood, which makes it important for preserving utility poles, boardwalks and outdoor play equipment as well as decks.

I’ve experienced similar rot with treated lumber I’ve owned. Years ago, I built a treated wood play set for my kids. After 15 years, I got rid of it to build a garden shed for my wife.

By this fall, pressure-treated lumber used to build everything from playgrounds to picnic tables will get warning labels cautioning people about the presence of the dangerous pesticide arsenic.