Treated wood, which is southern yellow pine, does not have a natural resistance to decay and insects like cedar and redwood, and therefore must be chemically treated to achieve those characteristics. Until two years ago, the chemical used to treat southern yellow pine was a commonly used pesticide called CCA, which contains copper, chromium and arsenic — all known carcinogens. Facing regulation, the forest industry voluntarily stopped using CCA and now uses an FDA-approved chemical called ACQ. Regardless, southern yellow pine is not as well suited for swing sets as cedar and redwood. Southern yellow pine tends to splinter and crack more and is just plain ugly. Cedar and redwood, on the other hand, are much less prone to splintering and if maintained properly can last as long as a wooden deck.
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