An antisapstain trial was established at a Eucalyptus hardwood sawmill in Victoria, Australia. The trial incorporated two commercial formulations of antisapstain preservatives, used at four different concentrations on both hardwood (Eucalyptus regnans F. Muell) and softwood (Pinus radiata D. Don) boards. The trial also utilised different stacking methods (block-stacked, sticker-stacked, and block-stacked and wrapped in black plastic) and included replicates placed both outside in the drying yard, and inside under cover from the elements. The variation in stacking methods and in location was used to provide a variation in the fungal hazard. Worst degrade (mean of 83% at 36 weeks) was obtained for the hardwood block-stacked outside and wrapped in black plastic. Lesser extents of degrade were obtained for sticker-stacked hardwood outside (4.3%) and sticker-stacked hardwood under cover (1.2%). Degrade of softwood was less than that of hardwood under all conditions. Statistical analysis of the trial indicated that the probability of any individual hardwood board deteriorating outside was nearly 4 times greater than for a board kept undercover. In addition, the probability of degrade of a hardwood board which was block-stacked and wrapped in black plastic was 3.4 times that of a hardwood board which was block-stacked but not wrapped, which in turn was 10 times that of a hardwood board which was sticker-stacked. The probability of degrade in untreated hardwood timber was 20 times that of degrade in preservative-treated hardwood timber, with variations in preservative concentration having an insignificant effect. Over all conditions the probability of hardwood timber deterioration was 5 times that of the softwood. The results of this trial confirmed that timber stored closely stacked and under poorly ventilated conditions suffered a higher visible degrade, as expected for sapstain fungi. However, although preservatives effectively reduced visible degrade under all storage conditions and at all concentrations tested, selection of correct storage conditions was also an important part of minimising degrade.

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