What Type Of Wood For Child’s Sandbox?

My husband wants to make a sandbox for our young children. What type of wood should he use? I know it shouldnt be treated as that contains arsenic; but someone else told me to use cedar…and then a carperter told me cedar splinters are very hazardous. I want to make sure this sandbox is safe. Please help me help my husband!
Any other tips for making a sandbox?
THANK YOU!!!

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cheezyhi Said in July 31st, 2009 @3:15 am

Preasure treated lumber in the USA does NOT contain arsnec any more. It has been several years since any treated lumber you could buy contained arsnic.
If you buy newly treaded lumber for your sand box it will last for years and years. On the other hand if you only need the sand box to last say 3 to 5 years then regular pine should be sufficent. It will start to rot at the end of that time period unless you keep it painted etc.
For the cost you might just consider pine/fur/spruce and prime and paint it before you install it. It should last for several years.
I would dig the dirt out for several inches down to add depth to your sand box. You could put down a layer of plastic, but your children will dig through it sooner or later. Better they just learn to stop at the dirt. The bigger the sand box the more sand you need to don’t go too big unless you can have a truck drop off a load of sand (it is way cheaper this way too).
Also to cut down on lumber costs you could drive a 2 x 4 into the ground for your corners and use 1 x stock instrad of 2 x stock. Then you just atach the 1 xs to the 2 x 4s with screws and you have a frame.

circa 1980 Said in July 31st, 2009 @3:25 am

I don’t know what type of wood…but I need to tell you this: my daughter’s half-sister got worms from being in a sandbox! her Grandmother was watching her and noticed she kept trying to stick her fingers up her rear-end. When she looked to see what was going on down there, she literally saw a little worm come out of her hole, and squirm back into her butt! The pediatrician said it was from playing in the sandbox. She was about 7 years old at the time.
I would advise against it!
If you still decide to build one, my daughter’s father just said that the wood has to be pressure-treated so it doesn’t rot. I wouldn’t chance it, though! Sorry to disappoint!

stretch Said in July 31st, 2009 @4:07 am

Just go to a home building center and get some treated lumber for your project. Pine is probably the less expensive. Treated lumber is no longer treated with aresenic, but rather it’s a copper-based type of treatment.
Use this to build your sandbox.

TT Said in July 31st, 2009 @4:48 am

Cedar would work fine however, there are lots of new products at your local home improvement center made from cedar and plastics a recycled composite of sorts. Most of these are a bit more expensive than the cedar but will not splinter and are virtually bug and weather resistant. Ask for some help from the contractor or building materials dept. in the store. Watch for cats using the sand box…happy sandcastles!!!! TT

R G Said in July 31st, 2009 @5:37 am

If you look around, many children’s outdoor play apparatus’s are made from cedar. My first suggestion would be to go with cedar, however regular spruce 2 x 6’s that are stained or painted would work fine. The spruce one I had as a child outlasted me. Consider having a lid for it, because otherwise it becomes the neighborhood litter box.

artistj Said in July 31st, 2009 @6:14 am

When i was a kid I lived on a farm and my dad made the sand box out of an old tractor tire. it was about 5 feet diameter and 8-10 inches tall when laying on it’s side on the ground. You could check at area junk yards to see if there is something like that in your area.
FYI- I got plenty of splinters for plenty of things when i was a kid and we just pulled them out- it’s not the end of the world.

Britt Said in July 31st, 2009 @6:54 am

well cedar does not rot EVER if you sanded it down and put a protective coat over it, it shouldn’t splinter.
Any other wood you would have to put a sealer on it and still have a chance of rot in the future so cedar is the smartest choice in my book.

Anna L Said in July 31st, 2009 @7:10 am

i dont think it matters really because there are many stye sand boxes and im pretty sure there all made of different wood…go to loews or home depot and ask them what would be your best bet…
cedar i think attracts ants tho im not sure tho

Fate543 Said in July 31st, 2009 @8:06 am

Try using this tool. It has a whole section dedicated to kid-friendly floors!http://www.findanyfloor.com/Kids/KidFrie…

Earachep Said in July 31st, 2009 @8:39 am

Redwood is the best because it has minimal splinters , resists the weather and rotting with out any chemicals and looks very nice.

Buddy123 Said in July 31st, 2009 @8:48 am

No one will die from cedar splinters. There comes a point when you just have to build it.

c Said in July 31st, 2009 @8:48 am

fyi… pressure treated lumber contains arsenic…. they advise you to wear a mask when cutting it, so i doubt it would be a good choice

Stephanie S Said in July 31st, 2009 @9:42 am

I would say oak its not to expensive but rather nice wood.

Mark K Said in July 31st, 2009 @9:48 am

use plastic instead wood has splinters