pressure-treated

American  

[presh-er-tree-tid] / ˈprɛʃ ərˌtri tɪd /

adjective

1. (of wood) treated with a chemical or chemicals applied under pressure to reduce such problems as insect infestation, decay, and rotting.

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Etymology

Origin of pressure-treated

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

The decking company built its business on composite boards made from sawdust and recycled plastic shopping bags, which it pitches as more durable than pressure-treated lumber.

From Barron's • Nov. 7, 2025

Dick Treacy, who lives down the road, said Dufault, a florist, came to his house earlier this month to pick up pressure-treated wood he’d flagged in the local Buy Nothing group, he said.

From Washington Post • Apr. 19, 2023

The rest of the structure was built from off-the-shelf materials like pressure-treated lumber for framing and corrugated metal for the roof.

From New York Times • Nov. 29, 2022

Yet choosing humble materials like $27 worth of pressure-treated lumber for an outdoor bench that will last a half-century is not just a matter of thrift, he said, but a commentary on consumption.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 9, 2022

“I got a call come in at four-thirty needing a load of pressure-treated for a deck. Five-hundred-dollar order. And guess what? I didn’t have nobody to deliver it.”

From "The Serpent King" by Jeff Zentner