Treated or untreated bench legs?

[whitesco]

I'm sure this won't spark any debate at all

I'm starting my long overdue reloading bench build, using the NRMA bench plans as a guideline... but my my current analysis paralysis is stuck on whether to use treated or untreated 4*4 lumber for the legs. It will be sitting on a concrete floor, inside my unfinished basement so the left shoulder guy is saying "treated wood on concrete, always" but the right shoulder guy is saying "it's indoors, what's it going to do, **** moisture through the slab and do you really want the off-gassing in your basement?"

What say you? And yes, I could just buy cedar and make everyone but my wallet happy but I think they were 8x the cost of untreated when I looked so I don't wanna.

 

[BrandonV]

I think you could put almost anything (metal, plastic, etc.) in between the legs and the concrete floor and be good.

 

[mike93lx]

I'd probably use PT and not think about it beyond that. If you use KD, put something on the end grain to protect it.

There is no meaningful off gassing from a couple short pieces of 4x4

 

[RegeSullivan]

I had workbenches made of construction lumber in my garage over 30 years at the old house. The end grain of the legs sitting directly on the concrete. Even with a yearly floor scrubbing and hosing everything was solid when we moved...

 

[PCustoms]

Get the cleanest, straightest wood you can find and use leveling feet to keep it off the concrete.

Some of my sturdier benches are 2x4 doubled up with lap joints on the cross members.

 

[tarmy]

This garage set up has leveling feet. Works great for sloping/uneven floors. My other shops has legs that rest on the concrete for decades with no issues. The lower pic is one of my other benches with leveling feet trimmed out for a cleaner look.

 

[Hank11]

Epoxy some 1/4” hard neoprene sheet to the bottom of each leg. Sand off even with legs. Waterproof and skid resistant.

 

[toolmiser]

How about applying a flat piece of PVC to the bottom of the legs? It won't rot, plus it will keep the other wood off the concrete.

 

[PopcornSutton]

Today's PT wood is so prone to warping as it dries I try to avoid it if I can. Inside has no need for PT.

 

[BillK]

I have two large benches at my business that have 4x4 uprights. They are good old plain lumber and have been sitting on concrete for 35 years with absolutely no issues. I have a workbench in my attached garage at home that I built shortly after we moved in back in 1978. It has a 2x4x8 sitting flat on the floor for the front support "rail" It has also been fine.

I think you will be just fine with normal lumber.

 

[NUTTSGT]

When I built, should say rebuilt, my work bench, I went with PT.

Basically, the PT 4x4s are more readily available around here. I'm not sure who carries or where they are in the lumber rack around here.

 

[mikedodge]

If youre going to be getting the floor wet regularely use a couple pieces of 2x4 or plywood at the bottom to be sacrificial and keep the legs directly off the floor. Otherwise don't bother. There's no point in using pressure treated. I have wooden machine stands and crates that have been on concrete floors off and on for over 40 years and wood that's been stored on garage floors for years and never had ussues.
Pressure treated is only required if it's out in the weather or constant damp locations.

 

[jake28]

Given the choice, I’d avoid PT. It’s not as bad it used to be, but I don’t like touching it or breathing the sawdust if I can avoid it. If you’re really worried about mitigating rot, a nice urethane finish and a coaster or pad or leveling foot on the end grain will have the bench last for a couple of decades.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Get the cleanest, straightest wood you can find and use leveling feet to keep it off the concrete.

This. Besides eliminating the moisture worry, the last thing you want is a wobbly bench so the leveling feet are a necessity.

 

[Colin Len]

I'd opt untreated. I just don't see there being any real benefit to PT for this use case while there are a handful of possible downsides. I know around here the PT is super wet and generally not great quality - like others have mentioned.

If you have enough moisture in your basement to warrant PT then you've got bigger problems than bench legs.

 

[Adaylate]

Knock that guy off your left shoulder and get on with building your bench!

 

[manwithtools]

Way too much thought going into this post . Use what ever suits you, treated or untreated - 20 years from now there will be no noticeable difference to a workbench leg.

 

[Danno1]

.

A reloading bench wants to be level.

.

 

[wolfhawk73]

Fortunately, a Lowes one town over carries Doug Fir 4x4's. I'd go that route if possible, since PT 4x4's are usually cut from the left-over log after plywood veneers are cut, causing them to warp like the devil. I've probably bought 20 Doug Fir 4x4's in the past couple of years, and not one was center-cut.

And definitely go with the leveling feet.

 

[MovingAlong]

I'm sure this won't spark any debate at all

I'm starting my long overdue reloading bench build, using the NRMA bench plans as a guideline... but my my current analysis paralysis is stuck on whether to use treated or untreated 4*4 lumber for the legs. It will be sitting on a concrete floor, inside my unfinished basement so the left shoulder guy is saying "treated wood on concrete, always" but the right shoulder guy is saying "it's indoors, what's it going to do, **** moisture through the slab and do you really want the off-gassing in your basement?"

What say you? And yes, I could just buy cedar and make everyone but my wallet happy but I think they were 8x the cost of untreated when I looked so I don't wanna.

Skip the treated wood. Put a little Rustoleum on the bottom, add a sacrificial spacer of another wood, stick a shim of laminate flooring under it (grab four samples from Home Depot).

Be sure to post pics of the bench when finished!

 

[whitesco]

Thanks to everyone who replied! I think I'll go with untreated and do the leveling feet - as someone said it does need to be level but it also needs to be sturdy since it's basically the base of a big lever on the press but I see some leveling feet that look plenty sturdy.

I don't EXPECT any moisture, it's new construction and this is just a small unfinished portion of a larger finished walk-out basement so again as someone said if the floor is wet, my bench legs will be the least of my worries!

 

[csp]

Our home has some basement framing rot from a sprinkler leak many years ago (found the insurance info in a file the previous owner left) on the one exterior wall that's framed (walkout basement). In reconstructing this area I'm using zip tape on any lumber in contact with concrete. One board has several tapcons securing it to a concrete wall and I did all of my drilling first, wrapped the contact face with the zip tape then screwed it home. The zip tape is self repairing and should seal around the tapcons. I am not using pressure treated lumber either.

 

[PotvinV8]

A stick build on a concrete footing uses regular 2x4s. Why would a work bench be any different? It would take two lifetimes to rot away anyhow!

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

I was always under the impression that PT was not to be used inside. I can’t even think of a reason it would be required.
When using the KD material for the odd time you may have water in your work area I would use hockey pucks or cut a couple of layers of shingles for the base of the leg.

 

[Bucko]

Today's PT wood is so prone to warping as it dries I try to avoid it if I can. Inside has no need for PT.

My thoughts as well as well as the shrinkage PT will have as it dries out will effect all of your joints vs just using KD with some levelers or trim to level if you plan to keep it in the same spot or use the bench for heavy items.
I will typically use two 2x4's to create a "L" which gives a solid area to attach a 2×4 shelf frame that plywood can be attached to and not have to notch the corners.

 

[hobie18]

Plate bottom, large levelers, full weight/strength.
Iow, cap the leg bottoms. Attach levelers to cap. Maintain full strength.

 

[firebirdparts]

I cannot find untreated 4x4's here, so that would have been an easy decision for me.

 

[niget2002]

Use solid mahogany, cypress, or teak

All of those do better in moisture and are solid hardwoods.

Could use cedar, but that's softer.

 

[csp]

I was always under the impression that PT was not to be used inside. I can’t even think of a reason it would be required.

Many local building AHJ's require PT lumber as the bottom plate for basement framing. My area required not only PT, but floating walls to allow for expansive soils (regardless of your soil test results).

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

Many local building AHJ's require PT lumber as the bottom plate for basement framing. My area required not only PT, but floating walls to allow for expansive soils (regardless of your soil test results).

Yes that is code in our area as well. Wood basements as well, but I haven’t seen newly constructed homes using that option in years. I did see a couple that were backfilled a little too exuberantly and partially caved in the wall. If PT is used I’m under the impression it has to be encapsulated in some way.
I still wouldn’t use PT in a shop. My choice however.