Metal carboxylates have been used as wood preservatives for more than fifty years. Predominantly salts of naphtenic acids have been commercially applied so far. They have water repellent as well as fungicidal and insecticidal properties. In the last years, metal carboxylates of saturated fatty acids were introduced. Fatty acids with 7-10 carbon atoms already have fungicidal activity by themselves. However, their efficacy is markedly increased in a complex with metal ion such as copper and zinc. This carboxylates are environment friendly and low toxic for humans. We studied fungicidal, insecticidal and termiticidal effectiveness of copper and zinc carboxylates by European standard methods. The strongest fungicidal and insecticidal activity showed copper and zinc naphtenates and copper octanoate. The metal octanoates are soluble in white spirit and, moreover in aqueous ammonia solutions. One day after treatment, the leaching of some carboxylates from wood was very low. These carboxylates did not increase the flammability of treated wood.

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