woodtreatment.sustainablesources.comWood Treatment – Sustainable Sources LLC

Skip to content 26 years of online Green Building information Search for: Home Water Indoor Water Conservation Composting Toilets Pervious Paving Materials Xeriscape Greywater Irrigation Harvested Rainwater Energy Heating and Cooling Solar Hot Water, Heating and Cooling Systems Energy Recovery Ventilator Programmable Thermostat Ground Source Heat Exchange Gas Water Heating Ductwork Radiant Barrier Ridge and Soffit Venting Fans Passive Solar Design Earth Sheltered Design Passive Solar Design Earth Sheltered Design Landscaping for Energy Savings Photovoltaic Systems Lighting Electromagnetic Fields Energy Efficient Appliances Building Materials Wood Dimensional Lumber Wood Treatment Non Toxic Termite Control Wood Flooring Engineered Structural Materials Engineered Sheet Materials Engineered Siding Wall Systems Structural Insulating Wall Panels (SIPs) Straw Bale Construction Flyash Concrete Earth Material Roofing Insulation Windows and Doors Cabinets Paints, Finishes and Adhesives Floor Coverings Recycle/Reuse/Etc Home Recycling Compost System Construction Waste Recycling Shipping Container Housing About Portfolio Our Services Web Hosting Plans Web Development Backup Policy WordPress Monitoring, Update, & Backup Service WordPress Site Hardening WordPress Hack Recovery Web Hosting Plans Backup Policy Web Development Site Updates Sponsors Staff, Contractors, & Contributors Disclaimer Privacy Policy Payments Contact Us Resources Books – Videos – Software – Periodicals International Straw Bale Building Registry Green Building Databases & Design Resources Country Abbreviations Menu Wood Treatment DEFINITION CONSIDERATIONS COMMERCIAL STATUS IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES GUIDELINES Precautions Borate site-applied products ACQ CCA Other Chemical Treatments Decay resistant domestic woods Borate Pressure-Treated Lumber CSI Numbers: 063 100 DEFINITION: Wood treatment refers to protecting wood from damage caused by insects, moisture, and decay fungi. CONSIDERATIONS: Three primary methods of wood treatment currently prevail: creosote pressure-treated wood, pentachlorophenol pressure-treated wood, and inorganic arsenical pressure-treated wood. The pressure-treating process is done by commercial facilities and made available to users in the final wood product. Copper napthenate, zinc napthenate, and tributyltin oxide are other wood treatment options that can be site applied. All of these treatment processes involve dangerous chemicals . Chromated copper arsenate (CCA) was the most popular wood treatment product available for many years, but it was banned by the EPA in 2003 (see also the National Pesticide Information Center ). The chemicals are inert within the material and offer protection from moisture and decay fungi. The chemicals do not penetrate into the heartwood effectively so a sealer is advisable on cut ends of CCA treated wood. Although CCA treated wood is sawn on jobsites, hardly anyone seals the cuts. All pressure treated products require adherence to safety precautions approved by the EPA. The safety precautions are listed in the Guidelines section. EPA regulations govern the manufacture of pressure-treated materials and require extensive environmental safety precautions. Wood treatment does offer a method to extend the usable life of our wood resources. The toxicity of the chemicals used in wood treatment has led to research into less toxic methods such as the use of borates derived from the natural element boron (borax). Borates (from boron) are used in wood in New Zealand and Australia and offer insect protection and fire retarding benefits to wood. Full-scale commercial introduction of borates in the U.S. awaits resolution of the leaching problem of borates. Since borates are water soluble, water dilutes them and leaves the wood unprotected from decay after a period of time. In a location unexposed to water, they are effective in preserving wood; site applied borate products are available. Borate pressure-treated wood is being offered by one company in the U.S. (primarily for the Caribbean market). They are promoting the concept of using borates for all the wood in a house. This eliminates the need for termite protection by any other means and prevents decay fungi. Ammoniacal copper quatenary (ACQ) is a new wood preservative introduced in the later part of the last century. This material employs preservative components that are listed in EPA’s classification as “General Use” pesticides. This is a less toxic material than CCA and it performs similarly. Commercial Status Implementation Issues T E C H N O L O G Y S U P P L I E R S C O S T F I N A N C I N G A C C E P T A N C E R E G U L A T O R Y Wood Treatment Legend Satisfactory Satisfactory in most conditions Satisfactory in Limited Conditions Unsatisfactory or Difficult COMMERCIAL STATUS TECHNOLOGY: Borate treatment is not technologically mature in comparison with CCA treated wood. Leaching problems must be resolved for borate treatment to substitute for CCA pressure-treated wood. SUPPLIERS: Suppliers of site-applied borate products are uncommon. Commercial application of borate treatment is just becoming available. COST: Site-applied borate treatments exceed the cost of other chemical treatments due to shipping costs. Borate pressure-treated material adds about $2,500 to the costs of an average sized frame house. IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES FINANCING: Available if the borate treatment is code compliant. PUBLIC ACCEPTANCE: There is not widespead awareness of borate treatment. However, reduced health risk should be seen as a positive characteristic. REGULATORY: Any wood within 6 inches of the finish grade must be factory treated or have natural resistance (e. g. heartwood of cedar, redwood, or black locust). (See also Non-toxic Termite Control ) GUIDELINES 1.0 Precautions It is required that this information be available to persons using Inorganic Arsenical Pressure-Treated Wood (CCA), Pentachlorophenol Pressure-Treated Wood, Creosote Pressure-Treated Wood. 1.1 Generic Precautions for all three types Do not use treated wood under circumstances where the preservative may come in contact with food or animal feed, like food containers. Do not use treated wood for cutting-boards or countertops. Only treated wood that is visibly clean and free of surface residue should be used for patios, decks and walkways. Do not use treated wood for construction of those portions of beehives which may come into contact with the honey. Treated wood should not be used where it may come into direct or indirect contact with public drinking water, except for uses involving incidental contact such as docks and bridges. Dispose of treated wood by ordinary trash collection or burial. Treated wood should not be burned in open fires or in stoves, fireplaces or residential boilers because toxic chemicals may be produced as part of the smoke or ashes. Treated wood from commercial or industrial use (e.g., construction sites) may be burned only in commercial or industrial incinerators or boilers in accordance with state and federal regulations. Avoid frequent or prolonged inhalation of sawdust from treated wood. When sawing and machining treated wood, wear a dust mask. Whenever possible, these operations should be performed outdoors to avoid indoor accumulations or airborne sawdust from treated wood. When power-sawing and machining, wear goggles to protect eyes from flying particles. Wash exposed areas thoroughly after working with the wood and before eating, drinking and use of tobacco products. If preservatives or sawdust accumulate on clothes, launder before reuse. Wash work clothes separately from other household clothing. 1.2 Additional Precautions for Inorganic Arsenical Pressure-Treated Wood (CCA) Wood pressure-treated with waterborne arsenical preservatives may be used inside residences as long as all sawdust and construction debris are cleaned up and disposed of after construction. 1.3 Additional Precautions for Pentachloroph...