We're building a sandbox for our child...what's the safest way to treat it? Varnish okay? Paint? Thanks!?

Treated Lumber is not safe for children. They will be exposed to carcinogenic chemicals that prevent mold, mildew and dry rot. Go with regular Lumber and treat with Varathane or PolyUrathane.





Don't for get to purchase a tarp to cover the sand box when not in use. Every cat in the neighborhood will find it a few days after it is finished, and cats love sand boxes.We're building a sandbox for our child...what's the safest way to treat it? Varnish okay? Paint? Thanks!?
Treat what, the sandbox, or the sand, as long as the kids don't eat either one just about anything should be fine, if you are talking about the wood, just use green treated wood and don't treat anything except where you make the cuts, if you make any, you can get the stuff to paint on the cuts at the same place you got the wood, should last a long time.


I wouldn't worry too much about it, you have more ';healthy'; people come in for a checkup and end up dying in a hospital than from touching green treated wood.We're building a sandbox for our child...what's the safest way to treat it? Varnish okay? Paint? Thanks!?
If you are going to use treated lumber, go with the brown, not the green. Even though the green isn't as dangerous as it was before 2003, it still isn't something you want your kids chewing on when they get tired of building sand castles. Personally, I would go with regular lumber painted with fiberglass resin. There is no fiberglass in the resin, it is just the plastic you use when building with fiberglass. Used as is, with just the hardener, it makes a nice shiny clear coat that will protect the wood, yet show off the natural grain. Or you can add pigment, and make it any color you want, and basically look like the same stuff the kiddy pool, or plastic slide set you have is made of.
Spar Varnish or marine grade polyurethane is good since it will be in the weather. Or you can paint it with an epoxy paint.
For questions like your I always call a major paint store Sherwin williams lets say for example they are the experts
i painted the one i made for the grandkids and it is holding up fine...