The quest for a borate based preservative system that resists leaching or is “fixed” has long been a research goal. Boron fixation has been attempted with numerous strategies but there have been problems associated with past methods. This paper discusses new fixation systems based on bio-materials and presents up to five year outdoor exposure testing on full-size decks. Generally, the new fixation systems significantly retard leaching with some retaining up to 50% of the borate and there was no sign of decay on these decks. In the same time frame, borate-alone decks were at about 10-20% of the original levels and decay fruiting bodies were present on the top surfaces. Also, the fixed borate decks were clean and bright while the borate alone decks were considerably stained and dark.

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