Mindless Brainstorming bandwidth requested.

[Old and In the Way]

I've finally gotten around to building permanent steps for my front entrance. I've got a 44 x 8 deck that had the temporary steps installed 8 years ago when I built the house. The deck has 4" x 4" post on pads and frankly, it lookjed crappy. I thought about foundation stone wall to skirt the deck, but too much $, so I decided to make 2 - 12 foot PT stairs, separated by a 12 foot a 3 tier planter/flower box (to make the starir profile).

So along the way, I've aquired a lot of small scrapes of PT wood. All chops, sizes/angles. Any ideas on how to put them to good use? landscaping / art work ideas?

[Stinky The Clown]

1. No idea what 'to' do, but one idea what *not* to do

Don't be tempted to burn them for firewood. I'm sure you know that, but I wanted to say it anyway.

Well .... maybe I have some ideas after all .....

Deck furniture? Shelving units for plants? Planters on the approach to the deck? I'm assuming that what you have are all relatively short lengths.

[Old and In the Way]

2. Not really big enough pieces.

I shuld probably take a picture of the pile...lots of 2" x 4" x 3" long pieces, etc. I'm thinking about using as land fill with rocks in the base of the planters...not sure if that is good either....ground water contamination?

[NMDemDist2]

3. maybe as edging material? put it in the ground sticking up at all

different angles and heights?

used around shrubs and such it may give it a nice organic feeling

it's probably pretty sharp so may not be good for walkways unless you lay them flat

[Stinky The Clown]

4. You know ......

..... since its pressure treated, you could use it as a paving material. Cut it all to the same length .... say 2" or 3". Then use it as a paver set in a nicely drained sand and gravel base - like you'd do for concrete, brick, or stone pavers. Set it so as to expose the end grain, which is the hardest surface. The PT should let it last enough years to make the effort worthwhile.

[TygrBright]

5. Not if it's going to come in contact with...

...water your plants will want to drink. They won't like it at ALL.

horticulturally,
Bright

[politicat]

6. Do you have a path that could use paving?

For three years we had a wooden front "walk" because we were under drought conditions and couldn't pour concrete. (We finally used pavers after I found ones cheap enough to suit my cheapskate's heart.) We dug down deep enough to set them and they looked nice in a kind of crazy quilt sort of pattern.

I moved the old walk around to my garden area, and it paves the area between my garden and the fence now. Six year old wood and still in decent, if weathered shape.