Wood treated with water-borne preservatives, mainly CCA (copper/chromium/arsenic), CCB (copper/chrome/boron) or CC (copper/chrome) is often said among users in Sweden to absorb more water than untreated wood. In laboratory tests this statement has not been confirmed but no field tests have been carried out in Sweden to study this phenomenon. In 1986 a project was started to compare water absorption during outdoor exposure between wood stakes of pine (Pinus sylvestris) and spruce (Picea abies) both untreated and treated with different preservatives. For comparison stakes of different species were included as well as painted pine stakes. Equilibrium moisture content in humid environment was tested for untreated pine-stakes and stakes treated with CCA and ammoniacal copper preservatives.

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