Is h4 treated Pine safe for a kids sandpit?

[mat123]

hi. I’m planning on using H4 treated pine sleepers for a kids sandpit item number. /N: 8032699. Are they safe for kids or should I paint them and make them safer thanks?

[Emma-Lee]

Hi @mat123,

Thanks for providing the I/N. Those sleepers are CCA treated which means "Copper Chrome Arsenate". CCA-treated timber generally isn't recommended to build children's play equipment or other furniture/handrails etc that will be touched regularly. Be extremely careful when cutting the timber using breathing PPE and eyewear and ensure you wash your hands and clothes thoroughly and separately from other clothing. Also try to vacuum up any wood shavings as opposed to blowing them away and never burn the CCA treated timber.

Another treatment of H4 that is available is ACQ which stands for "Alkaline Copper Quarternery". This is a waterborne form of timber treatment working the same way as CCA but involving no arsenic which is the safety concern in CCA. It is significantly less toxic and approved commercially for garden furniture and children's play equipment. It is significantly more expensive than CCA treatment but worth it for the safety. I don't know if Bunnings sells ACQ treated pine.

Therefore for your use, it is recommended to apply a good quality, long oil based exterior wood primer followed by two coats of premium quality exterior acrylic paint according to the manufacturers recommendations. As well as using plastic lining in the sandpit floor and internal walls to prevent direct sand contact on the timber. This will ensure complete safety for your kiddoes.

Would love to see a photo of your project when it's completed!

[MitchellMc]

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @mat123. It's brilliant to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about treated Pine sleepers.

@Emma-Lee's reply was impressively comprehensive, and they've covered much of what I would have advised. Our ACQ-treated sleepers are typically called "Sienna," but it looks like they might be in limited supply. I would advise going with our 200 x 50mm 2.4m Sleeper Hardwood—50mm for the peace of mind that they have not been treated with arsenic. Otherwise, @Emma-Lee has provided some sound advice on mitigating the risks by painting the sleepers and using a plastic lining.

Please let us know if you have any questions.

Mitchell