Currently, the treatment of lumber with a water repellent emulsion and a wood preservative formulation in combination is the most cost effective way to prevent decay and to maintain the appearance of uncoated lumber in service. Water repellents influence the movement of moisture into and out of wood and, by so doing, can decrease checking and splitting significantly. Adequate penetration of the emulsion and the preservative alike are important guarantors of performance for such preservative systems. The inherent particle size of an emulsion will influence its penetration into wood but our studies have indicated that the shear stability of the emulsion is also important. Results from a series of treatment trials using wood and a model system are discussed. A simple method has been developed to semi-quantitatively compare the shear stability of emulsion water repellents.

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