Borate Redistribution in Glulam in an Above Ground Field Test

IRG/WP 14-30652

P I Morris, A Temiz, J Ingram

Researchers have refocused on the use of boratesin the wood protection industry in the last two decades due to their broad spectrum effectiveness against fungi and insects, and favourable environmental characteristics. This study was designed to determine borate distribution in a limited number of samples from a large field test of composites protected by a combination of coating and borate treatment by two processes.The intended application of these products was exterior components of buildings with considerable protection by design, but the test method was designed to be a much more severe exposure. A variety of structural composites had been machined into ɣ-joint test samples, then borate-treated by two methods: a surface-applied penetrating process, and a dip treatment with borate/glycol plus insertion of copper/borate rods.After application of the coating the test samples had been installed in a long-term above-ground outdoor weathering trial at FPInnovations’ Maple Ridge, British Columbia test site. After seven years of exposure, selected glulam beams of black spruce, white spruce, and Douglas-fir samples were destructively sampled and analyzed for borate retention and penetration, with results compared to unexposed material.Results showed that borateshad migrated from the surface of exposed samples to inside the wood, as deep as 50 mm, and in many samples were present in concentrations that would be sufficient to prevent fungal decay.


Keywords: buffered amine oxide carrier,borate/glycol, copper/borate rods, glulam, above-ground, field test

Conference: 14-05-11/15 St George, Utah, USA


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