Moulds, stain and decay cause serious problems on wood utilization. Though a growing volume of wood is kiln-dried, the market for green exports remains significant, and environment-friendly wood protection is required to replace traditional chemicals. As a solution to this problem, Forintek Canada Corp. developed a bioprotectant for protecting logs and green lumber from moulds, stain and decay, which was granted a US patent. The method relies on an albino fungus, Gliocladium roseum, and a powder product has been formulated. Recently, a sawmill trial on this bioprotectant was carried out on 2400 pieces of a mix of 2”x 3” x 8’ black spruce and balsam fir boards. Mould, stain and decay developments on treated and untreated boards were evaluated after 11-month storage in a lumberyard. Results showed that 90% of boards treated with the powder product of this bioprotectant and 85% of those treated with the liquid product did not get any fungal infection, whereas only 0.5% of untreated boards were clear. Concerning mould and stain growth, powder product treated lumber was 100% acceptable, liquid product treated lumber was 99% acceptable, whereas untreated lumber was 16% acceptable. For decay evaluation, 45% untreated boards were, more or less, decayed after 11-month storage in piles, whereas only 0.7% of powder product treated boards and 1.4% of liquid product treated boards were affected by decay fungi.

Download document (447 kb)
free for the members of IRG. Available if purchased.

Purchase this document