Standardized above ground tests such as the lap-joint or test deck methods can be very slow in producing useful information on the relative performance of wood preservative systems. It often requires many years for decay to develop in wood treated to sub-optimal concentrations of standardized preservatives, making relative comparisons of performance between new systems and established preservatives difficult. In certain wet locations, the ground proximity method provides much more rapid decay, but its relevance to the majority of above ground environments can be debated. This paper presents work on modifications of a “sandwich” exposure as a possible alternative test method, and provides preliminary data on the performance of known preservative systems in several exposure locations with these and more traditional above ground test methods.

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