Knowledgebase
Treated wood garden boxes. #872002
Asked June 07, 2024, 8:49 AM EDT
Hello Hope you are having a great garden season. I know I am not supposed to use treated wood for garden boxes, but a relative just made me a beautiful raised box out of treated lumber! He didn't know! Is there anyway I can save this? Like lining it with a 6mil plastic. Would that be ok for vegetable planting? How about just for flowers? I just really don't want to waste his beautiful work. Thanks in advance. Happy gardening.
Wayne County Michigan
Expert Response
Hi Kathy, Thanks for the question.
Newer formulations for treated lumber are now available. ACQ introduced in 2004 is much better that some of the older (and much more toxic) treatments. This is what you find in stores today. Although it is probably not necessary with ACQ lumber, using a liner is a good way to assure low contamination of food crops for treated lumber. Flowers should be fine. Check out the following links:
Raised bed lumber, pressure treated safe? | OSU Extension Service (oregonstate.edu)
Treated Wood in the Landscape | Home & Garden Information Center (clemson.edu)
I hope this is helpful.
