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gilberto_gw

Pneumatic nailer and pressure treated wood

Gilberto
15 years ago

Hello,

IÂm planning to build a storage shed out of pressure treated plywood and 2x4s. Can I use a pneumatic nailer to nail the plywood to the studs? What about to joint the studs (pressure treated 2x4s)? My concern is mainly due to the hardness of the pressure treated wood. I asked at a local Home Depot and the guy told me that I can use any pneumatic nailer as long as I have a compressor with at least a 30 gallons tank. I was not quite convinced with his answer and thatÂs why IÂm posting my question to the real experts...

Thanks in advance for any comment to this regard,

Gilberto

Comments (9)

  • randy427
    15 years ago

    The air pressure in the tank will determine if you can shoot a nail with it. The combination of the horsepower of the compressor and the size of the tank will determine how many nails you can shoot and fast you can shoot them without stopping to wait for the air pressure to return to 'enough' (90 to 125 psi).
    I'd think that a 2 HP, 5 gallon compressor would be adequate for most framing applications. YMMV
    For bursts of high speed nailing, like roofing, I use a larger (15 gal) tank.

  • Jon1270
    15 years ago

    Agreed. The size of the tank doesn't influence whether it will work, it just affects whether you can continue to shoot nails rapidly, one after the other, for a sustained period of time. For DIY purposes, virtually ANY compressor will do the job.

  • bobismyuncle
    15 years ago

    Most pressure treated wood, at least around here, is southern yellow pine (SYP). Though with age, it can harden considerably, when it's fresh and wet, it is, after all, a softwood. SYP is often used for framing where pneumatic nailers are used all the time.

  • abnorm
    15 years ago

    You also need to purchase the correct fasteners......ordinary electroplated galvanized nails will not last with the new pressure treated lumber.....

    Zone 11....PuertoRico ?

  • handymac
    15 years ago

    The type of treatment is the determining factor.

    ACQ treated wood requires double galvanized or stainless steel fasteners and brackets. I have yet to find nails that will fit an air nailer that are rated for ACQ treated wood. The extra copper in the recipe causes iron/steel to oxidize quickly---and nails can actually disappear in less than a year. The solution is to use screws---many deck screws are rated for ACQ use. I have a 20' by 12' shed constructed with screws that is over ten years old.

    BTW, I have a 6 gallon portable compressor that I have used for over 7 years with all kinda of nailers/staplers---to include framing nailers.

  • Gilberto
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    abnorm...., to answer your question, yes I'm writting from (and live in) Puerto Rico, "la isla del encanto"

    handymac..., I believe that the most common treated wood that we used here in the island is ACQ treated, though IÂm not 100% sure. One thing that makes me doubt is because I have used treated wood with just common nails and they last quite some time. As a matter of fact, I have used them to built plant trays (to keep potted plants off the ground preventing them from rooting directly to the soil) were they are constantly wet and have not seen the nails disappearing due to oxidation even when used them for a couple of years.

    Thanks to both of you for the comments

  • ole_dawg
    15 years ago

    My question would be do you require PT wood? Perhaps for your base board, but for the vertical stringers? I just came back from looking at a friends house and the only PT was the boards used to cap off the block work and this guy knows what he is doing. The place is build like the much talked about but rarely seen BSH.
    PT wood is needed where you are going to run into water or excess moisture. If that is not a problem go with just what ever your local lumber provider is milling. I live in the UpCountry of SC and we have at least 6 sawmills with 25 miles of where I live. One is only 2 miles away and I use what ever they are cutting at the time for all my building requirements, even for my raised bed garden.

    1eyedJack and the Dawg

  • Gilberto
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Well, here in the tropics, with the high humidity (all year-round) and all the variety off "wood munching critters", the use of PT is a must. Besides that, due to the fact that we depend mainly on imported goods (the island phenomena ;-( ) the only choice that we have at lumber yards for construction grade wood is Douglas fir and PT wood. The local sawmills, which are not that many within the whole island, only have hardwoods and at a ridiculously high pricesÂÂ

  • brickeyee
    15 years ago

    "One thing that makes me doubt is because I have used treated wood with just common nails and they last quite some time. As a matter of fact, I have used them to built plant trays (to keep potted plants off the ground preventing them from rooting directly to the soil) were they are constantly wet and have not seen the nails disappearing due to oxidation even when used them for a couple of years."

    How many have you taken apart to check the fasteners?
    Plant trays are not exactly a structural use like a shed.
    If I went to the trouble to build a shed I would expect more than a 2 year life.

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