Within the EU project Ecobinders, laboratory tests were performed with furfurylated wood produced in semi-industrial scale in the factory of Kebony ASA. Field trials in Horizontal double layer decks and in-ground of transmission poles were also started. Four wood species, Southern yellow pine (SYP), maple, beech and aspen were treated to two treatment levels by using two impregnating liquids with different furfuryl alcohol content. Full length Scots pine poles were only treated with the higher furfuryl alcohol concentration treating liquid. SYP and beech samples were tested according to EN113 and maple and aspen samples according to the corresponding American test, AWPA E10. All wood species except Scots pine, at two treatment levels were installed in a HDL deck and the poles in ground with a creosoted pole as reference. The laboratory tests with three test fungi showed very consistent results. The low FA-content treating liquid (FA40) resulted in durability class 2-3 and the higher FA-content treating liquid (FA70) resulted in Durability class 1. After these tests Kebony ASA decided to switch from FA40 treating liquid to FA70 treating liquid in all of their production and is still using this mix in the production. The field trials were started in 2006 and after 5 years all 6 furfurylated poles (WPG=40 in the sapwood zone) were sound, which is, however, also the case for the creosoted pole reference. In the HDL test all furfurylated test stakes are more or less sound, whereas the controls are moderately to severely decayed.

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