On January 1, 2004, government mandates went into effect requiring companies engaged in pressure-treating lumber as a form of preservative to cease using chemical compounds that contain arsenic. Chromated Copper Arsenic, or CCA, was the most common compound used in the market and its use will nearly cease as a result.

In response to this mandate, several formulations have hit the market. While they all conform to the government standards for toxicity, almost all of them will be extremely corrosive to any form of metal that comes in contact with wood preserved with them. This includes fasteners, framing hardware, strapping and any other metallic objects.

Testing to determine proper recommendations for products that tolerate this corrosive environment have been confusing, contradictory and lacking consensus for the most part.

Until more is understood about the effects of the various formulations on the market with metallic objects in general and fasteners in particular, Interchange Brands recommends the use of stainless steel as the basis material for fasteners used in pressure-treated lumber. The peace of mind afforded by using stainless steel far outweighs the cost in what is currently an uncertain situation. Fastener failures caused by accelerated corrosion in the applications where preserved lumber is used could have significant consequences that can be avoided by using stainless steel.

Thank you for your consideration.
Interchange Brands, LLC