What kind of wood best resists rott?

Question

I need to by 2x4's for a project, and since I don't have the luxury of doing it "right", part of the wood will be in contact with soil. Is there any type of wood that better resists rott for a longer period of time?

Answer 1

I understand treated cedar and treated redwood resist very well indeed.

Answer 2

Sounds like you need to buy pressure treated timber or maybe well pain with a wood preservative especially the timber in contact with the soil. Good Luck with your project

Answer 3

Teak is the longest lasting wood, but it doesn't come in 2x4s.  It's used for swim platforms on boats and no matter how old and faded it gets, it looks like new after pressure washing.  For your project I would just use pressure treated wood and where it contacts the ground they make little concrete bases for 4x4 posts.  Or put some stone down so the wood doesn't sit in the mud.

Answer 4

I don't know what your project is, but ground contact is a recipe for disaster.  At least set your structure on concrete blocks.  Pressure Treated is your least expensive option and will help avoid rot and insect infestation.

Answer 5

you need pressure treated wood. That's why they pressure treat it so it doesn't rot.

Answer 6

Teak, Cypress, Redwood, Red Cedar, then pressure treated. These all will resist rot, the pt is the cheapest and it comes in 2x4 or other dimensional construction sizes.  Your best bet is to buy a couple of concrete feet for the project. They are not that expensive and will give good footing for the 2x4's and will not rot.

Answer 7

ceder, red wood, or pressure treated.  I would go with pressure treated.  It is the cheapest of the three.