Some engineered wood panel products, such as plywood and laminated veneer lumber (LVL) are able to be treated after manufacture with preservative solutions, whereas thin...

Safe Handling Using common sense and standard safety equipment (personal protection and wood-working machinery) applies when working with any building products. Gloves, dust...

When you want to use wood that is not naturally decay resistant in a wet application (outdoors, for example) or where it may be at risk for insect attack, you need to specify...

Wood is resistant to some of the chemicals destructive to steel and concrete. For example, wood is often the material of choice when exposed to: organic compounds, hot or...

Sometimes it happens – wood in service suffers from decay. How can you identify decayed wood and what are the recommended actions to take? First, be sure you actually have...

Wood structures, properly designed and properly treated, will last indefinitely. This section includes guidance on specific applications of structures that have constant...

Choosing a coating depends on what appearance is desired and what level of maintenance would be tolerable.  For many people, the basic choice is paint versus stain. The...

Select heartwood where possible to minimize nutrient content of wood surfaces and prevent nutrients migrating through the coating to support fungal growth on the surface....

How long will an exterior wood coating last?  Anywhere from a few months to 20 years or more, depending on the choice of product, how it was applied, and how severe the...

For new wood, remember: The wood must be dry.  Drying time depends on a few factors. Ideally the wood should be kiln-dried (stamped “S-DRY”, “KD” or “KDAT”, see...

Acrylic A type of water-borne coating product containing acrylic polymers. Alkyd A type of polyester resin. Term often used to signify solvent-borne coatings, e.g., oil...