I see this a lot in Bellingham and Whatcom County. Some wood is made to be in contact with soil. It is sold that way. This is referred to as preserved wood or pressure-treated lumber. The fact of the matter is that not all pressure-treated lumber is created equal. I have seen pressure-treated posts that were completely rotted away at the soil level after less than ten years. Then, personally, I have pulled pressure-treated fence posts from the ground, 20 years after planting them, and the below grade wood was as sound as the day I put them in the ground. It can be hard to predict. But, there is one fact that is not so hard to predict: If you start with pressure-treated lumber and you make sure it is NOT below grade in critical applications, then it will probably outlive you. Obviously, in some non-critical locations like fence posts, put them below ground and hope for the best. But when I find posts that support high decks or posts that are under homes, but the posts are below grade, then I recommend that the soil be graded back from the wood. And that applies whether the wood is preserved or not. Some wood is made for soil contact but, in cases where soil contact is not mandatory then, for goodness sakes, try to get the dirt back off the wood. It just makes sense. Thanks for stopping by, Steven L. Smith
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