Treatability of underutilized northeastern species with CCA and alternative wood preservatives

Stan Lebow; Steven Halverson; Cherilyn Hatfield

doi:10.2737/FPL-RN-300

Treesearch

Treatability of underutilized northeastern species with CCA and alternative wood preservatives

Informally Refereed

Authors:

Stan Lebow, Steven Halverson, Cherilyn Hatfield

Year:

2005

Type:

Research Note

Station:

Forest Products Laboratory

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2737/FPL-RN-300

Source:

Research Note FPL-RN-0300. Madison, WI: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory. 5 p.

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Abstract

Opportunities for use of northeastern species such as balsam fir, eastern spruce, eastern hemlock, and red maple could be improved if these species could be adequately penetrated with preservatives and subsequently shown to be durable in outdoor exposures. In this study, specimens cut from lumber of northeastern species were pressure-treated with either chromated copper arsenate type C (CCA-C), ammoniacal copper citrate (CC), alkaline copper quat type C (ACQ-C), or copper azole type A (CBA-A). Treatability was assessed by measuring retention and penetration of preservative. The results indicate that the arsenic- and chromium-free alternatives to CCA-C can treat northeastern species at least as well as CCA-C and may offer treatability advantages over CCA-C in species such as eastern hemlock and balsam fir. Two species, red maple and eastern spruce, were not adequately treated with any preservative, even after incising. Above-ground and ground-contact durability evaluations with these preservative–wood species combinations are in progress.

Keywords

CCA, alternative wood preservatives, copper chrome arsenate, copper citrate, alkaline copper quat type C, copper azole type A, CCA-C, ACQ-C, CBA-A, treatability

Citation

Lebow, Stan T.; Halverson, Steven A.; Hatfield, Cherilyn A. 2005. Treatability of underutilized northeastern species with CCA and alternative wood preservatives. Research Note FPL-RN-0300. Madison, WI: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory. 5 p.