Most anything you read advises against using it.
I'm googling like crazy...
ug,
Here's a couple of things I found on a quick search...
Beekeeping for Dummies says the following concerning the selection of wood:
"The one possible exception is pressure-treated wood. It doesn't seem like a good idea exposing bees to chemicals. Although since 2004, this category of wood product no longer uses toxic copper, chromium, and arsenic (CCA) to protect it from insects and mold. The new recipe is supposed to be safe. But if you'd rather not take a chance with your girls, stick to the all-natural, untreated wood."
Link to Page!The other quote is from the Environmental Protection Agency under Use site precautions for pressure treated wood...."Do not use treated wood for construction of those portions of beehives which may come into contact with honey."
Link to PAGE!And another says..."- A 1984 study of the biological impact of CCA-treated wood on honeybees found that the bees had elevated arsenic levels and poorer winter survival when kept in CCA-treated hives."
Link to Page!If you are considering this, it looks like a good first step might be trying to determine if the wood you are considering contains CCA or not...
Another reason I think it's a bad idea...You say your decision is driven by money. Who's more money conscious than a commercial Beek? I don't mean this in a negative way, I simply assume they have to be. Hive boxes are an investment for them, needless to say, they want them to last as long as possible. Yet I know of NO hive body supplier that offers a hive box made from pressure treated lumber. I'm thinking if there were a market for them, someone would be selling them. Since no one is selling them, the commercial Beeks must not want them. This tells me something...