During our tenure as home-improvement guys on television, the producer wanted a stage built in the backyard - something that could be used as a backdrop for guest entertainers. We decided to build a covered deck overlooking the rest of the backlot at Universal Studios. The deck overlooked the Jurassic Park set - dinosaurs and all.

Our strategy was to build the deck as a show-and-tell project, and then to use the finished product as a stage. We knew that we would be able to use the deck later for segments on maintenance and upkeep.

The material we chose for the project was redwood. We later felt that we had been remiss in not using a combination of wood species instead (pine, fir, cedar and others). We chose redwood because it is a magnificent deck building material. It contains natural resins that resist attack from insects and rot. But redwood isn't available countrywide. Whoops. By the time we realized that we were building with a material that wasn't available to all of our viewers, the deck was done. So we decided to use this week's offering to make things right. We also could have used cedar. Like redwood, cedar is a weather-resistant material that is well-suited for deck and fence construction. Unfortunately, like redwood, cedar isn't available nationwide. And, both cedar and redwood can be expensive.

An inexpensive alternative to them that is available everywhere is pressure-treated lumber. That's because it can be made from practically any type of wood: pine, fir, birch and others. Pressure-treated lumber is created by forcing wood preservatives deep into the fibers of wood, creating a protective barrier that makes otherwise susceptible timber pest and rot-resistant. In fact, pressure-treated material is stronger and more resistant to pests and rot than are cedar or redwood. But, pressure-treated materials do have drawbacks and require special handling.

The preservative used in the creation of pressure-treated lumber is a pesticide, and therefore poisonous. Special handling is in order when using it as a building material. The Treated Products Communications Council (TPCC) suggests that you take the following precautions when handling pressure-treated lumber:

When sawing or machining pressure-treated wood, use eye protection and an appropriate dust mask. This is true for any kind of woodworking, but especially important when the inhaled dust contains a poisonous chemical.

Use galvanized or stainless nails, screws or bolts. These types of fasteners are corrosion-resistant and will prevent rust stains on the material.

Drill pilot holes first, especially when nailing near the end of a board. Pressure-treated wood is dried before it is treated with the pesticide. This makes it hard and prone to splitting when nailed.

Even though the material is dried during the pressure-treating process, there is the chance that it will shrink. Butt ends together tightly to prevent gaps later.

Even pressure-treated wood should be coated with a wood preservative. As with redwood and cedar, this task should be performed every year or two. Pressure-treated lumber is relatively dry (absent of most of its natural moisture) by the time you get it. Therefore, a wood preservative can be immediately applied. Other types of wood (that contain natural moisture) should air-dry before being coated with preservative.

Never burn treated lumber. The resultant gasses could be deadly.

And, whatever you do, don't use treated lumber to make a cutting board.

The fact that just about any type of timber can be pressure-treated has another advantage. Stronger lumber, such as Douglas fir and southern yellow pine, can be used. This is important because redwood and cedar aren't really sturdy enough for most structural applications. Wood strength becomes important when constructing any support structure (retaining-wall posts, floor beams, etc.). On the other hand, redwood, cedar and mahogany, in our opinion, are far more beautiful than bumpy, green pressure-treated wood. Our compromise, save money and gain strength by building substructures out of pressure-treated material, and use the beautiful woods for decking, rails, trim and other finishes.