IRG Documents Database and Compendium


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A fast and economic method to produce grey wooden surfaces for decking and cladding: preliminary results
2009 - IRG/WP 09-40474
Uncoated wood is commonly used in France for cladding and decking to minimise maintenance. However wood surfaces progressively turn grey due to exposure to sunlight and water. This grey colour develops after several months depending on the wood species and the exposure: in the northern hemisphere surfaces facing south and west are most exposed and turn grey more rapidly than those facing north and...
L Podgorski, V Georges, I Garmendia, B Sánchez Sarachu


Service life prediction of wooden components – Part 2: Impact of material, exposure and design details
2010 - IRG/WP 10-20440
Dose-response functions permit to estimate the moisture and temperature induced decay potential for any wooden building component and exposure, and thus the service life to be expected. In part 1 of this series dose-response functions were established as a result of double layer field trials carried out at 24 European test sites over up to eight years. Using them makes it no longer necessary to co...
C Brischke, B Lauenstein, M Bilstein, T Bornemann, A O Rapp


Copper distribution in soil leached from full scale decking boards during one year
2010 - IRG/WP 10-50265
The distribution of copper in the soil under exposed decking boards after one year has been analysed. The decking boards were impregnated with copper HDO, copper quat and copper triazoles. The decking boards were pine sapwood and pressure treated in a full cell process, fixed by heating and then dried. The samples were not surface treated. Each decking sample of five boards (0.25 m2) was placed on...
F G Evans


Comparison of rates of wood decay from four different field test protocols following 4-5 years exposure at a site in New Zealand
2011 - IRG/WP 11-30565
The rate of decay of Pinus radiata was evaluated using four different field test protocols at a site near New Plymouth, New Zealand. The average Scheffer index was 86 over the five year period of testing. The field tests were an in-ground stake test (AWPA Std E7-01) and three above ground tests – lap-joint (AWPA Std E16-98), decking (AWPC protocol) and ground proximity tests (AWPA Std E18-06) T...
P Lobb, K Day, A Siraa


The Effectiveness of Machined Profiles at Reducing the Checking of Wooden Decking
2011 - IRG/WP 11-40541
This study tests the hypothesis that ‘the ability of surface profiling to reduce checking of deck boards exposed to weathering will vary with wood species and profile type’. Southern pine (Pinus sp.) and Pacific silver fir (Abies amabilis) deck boards were machined to produce three different types of surface profiles: flat (control), ribbed (V-shaped grooves), and rippled (U-shaped grooves). B...
P Evans, I Cullis, P Morris


Thermally modified timber (TMT) for decking applications – determination of relevant surface properties
2011 - IRG/WP 11-40544
In recent years thermally modified timber (TMT) entered various market segments. It is used for facades, horticultural equipment, garden furniture, and also for kitchen and bathroom cabinets. However, flooring turned out to be the most important application for TMT, either as interior parquet or as exterior decking. Besides durability and dimensional stability, which had been the initial target pr...
L Meyer, C Brischke, C R Welzbacher


Comparative studies on the moisture performance and durability of wooden facades
2012 - IRG/WP 12-20492
Wooden claddings are traditionally used in many parts of the world. Also modern structures are frequently made from timber and timber engineering panel products. However, wood has to compete with other cladding materials and its durability needs to assure sufficient functional and aesthetic service life. Besides many other factors the durability of a wooden facade is dominated by its moisture perf...
T Bornemann, C Brischke, J-M Lück


Climatic impacts on the moisture performance of wooden decking and facades
2013 - IRG/WP 13-20518
In outdoor usage wood is exposed to a variety of influences, which reduce its durability against biological deterioration and wetting. Besides many other factors the service life of wooden facades and cladding is dominated by occurring moisture loads on the one hand and their capability to withstand moisture on the other hand. Hence, climatic factors have a direct impact on the material climate an...
T Bornemann, C Brischke, G Alfredsen


Conclusions and Summary Report on an Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of ACQ-Treated Lumber Decking with Comparisons to Wood Plastic Composite Decking
2013 - IRG/WP 13-50295
The Treated Wood Council has completed a quantitative evaluation of the environmental impacts associated with the national production, use, and disposition of ACQ (alkaline copper quaternary)-treated lumber decking and wood plastic composite decking using life cycle assessment (LCA) methodologies and following ISO 14044 standards. The results for treated wood decking are significant. • Less En...
AquAeTer, Inc.


Field performance of wood-based decking materials in the Western United States
2014 - IRG/WP 14-30645
While wood has long been used for the construction of decks and other outdoor features, a variety of wood-plastic composite (WPC) decking products have emerged over the past decade with claims of exceptional durability and low maintenance. There are relatively few long term comparative tests on these products. The performance of selected WPC decking products was compared with naturally durable we...
S Lipeh, C S Love, J J Morrell


Study of weathering Characteristics in Profiled and Treated Deck Boards
2014 - IRG/WP 14-40680
Wood exposed outdoors to repeated wetting and drying develops surface checks. Excessive checking of wooden deck boards has been a major source of dissatisfaction to consumers. In this study, Southern pine (Pinus sp.) deck boards were machined to flat (control) and ribbed surface profiles. The specimens were treated with aqueous formulations of 4,5-dichloro-2-N-octyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one (EL2) and ...
M Akhtari, D Nicholas, L Sites


Buffered Amine Oxide Treatment Systems for Ammonical Copper Wood Preservatives
2014 - IRG/WP 14-40685
Wood is the most versatile, practical and sustainable building material in the world. In modern countries, wood is a well-managed renewable resource that has a small carbon footprint. Wood does suffer from a lack of durability against invasive organisms such as insects and fungi. Steel, aluminum and composites have emerged as viable alternative building materials. These sectors market the defi...
R W Clawson Jr


Colonization of treated and untreated decking materials by bacteria, fungi and algae quantified by qPCR
2015 - IRG/WP 15-20568
The use of durable wood species for wood decking in outdoor applications, e.g. garden terrace (use class 3) is gaining more and more interest on the part of consumers and architects. To get detailed information on the practical use of deckings, a project was started in 2010. In total 71 different decking materials (0.03 m²) were installed and evaluated over 30 months. Beside other parameters, the...
E Stoyanova, B Schmöllerl, A Steitz, N Pfabigan, R Gründlinger


Factors Affecting Performance of Preserved Wood Decking Against Decay Fungi
2015 - IRG/WP 15-30663
Decking is the largest market for residential preserved wood in the United States. Preserved decking must be resistant to colonization by decay fungi initiating from spores, and occasionally from mycelia due to elevated soil levels or adjacent untreated wood. The most vulnerable parts of a preserved wood deck are untreated, or under-treated, wood that becomes exposed by field cuts and checking. Fi...
R Stirling, P I Morris


Biological Performance of Triadimefon in combination with Tebuconazole in laboratory and field tests
2015 - IRG/WP 30668
The usage of Triazole-combinations for wood preservatives is common practice in several countries. Especially the combination of Tebuconazole and Propiconazole is preferred for this application due to its broad spectrum of efficacy against wood destroying fungi. 1-(4-Chlorphenoxy)-3,3-dimethyl-1-(1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)-butanon, also known as Triadimefon provides a good efficacy against the wood destr...
P Meckler, T Jaetsch


Effect of exposure site on metal migration from copper azole, alkaline copper quat or chromated copper arsenate treated southern pine decking
2015 - IRG/WP 15-50313
Metal migration from chromated copper arsenate, copper azole or alkaline copper quaternary compound treated southern pine lumber was assessed at sites in Mississippi and Oregon. Metal levels tended to be consistently higher in decks exposed in Mississippi. Rainfall characteristics did differ slightly at the two sites, but the levels did not appear to be of a magnitude that might affect metal mobi...
J J Morrell, H M Barnes


Variation in moisture content in field trials according to use class 3.2 conditions
2016 - IRG/WP 16-20580
Different test methods to determine the durability of wood in use class 3 (EN 335:2013) are available. Fungal degradation of wood requires liquid water. Different Standards (EN 335-1:2006; DIN 68 800:2011) specify the risk for decay with moisture content (mc) of above 20%. EN 335 (2013) does not specify moisture content but rather defined limited wetting conditions (use class 3.1) or prolonged wet...
S Bollmus, A Gellerich, H Militz


Three-Dimensional Digital Image Correlation of Strains in Profiled Wood Decking Exposed to Wetting & Drying
2017 - IRG/WP 17-20611
We use three dimensional digital image correlation to measure the strains that develop at the surface of profiled radiata pine (Pinus radiata D. Don) deck boards subjected to a wetting and drying cycle. We hypothesise that surface profiling will change the pattern of strain distribution at the surface of deck boards by concentrating stresses at the base of profile grooves. Five groups of three deck board samples were produced from five different pieces of machine stress-graded radiata pine wood. Two wavy profiles, ribble or ripple, were tested. Flat unprofiled boards acted a control. Each board was fixed to a rigid frame and subjected to a wetting and drying cycle. Full field surface strain data was collected using 3D digital image correlation. Strains varied across the surface of both flat and profiled boards. Profiling changed surface strain patterns; strain maxima and minima developed in the profile ridges and grooves during wetting, respectively, but this pattern of strains reversed during drying. Such a pronounced reversal of strains was not observed when flat boards were exposed to wetting and drying, although there was a shift towards negative strains when flat boards were dried. We conclude that profiling changes surface strain distribution in deck boards exposed to wetting and drying, and causes high strains to develop in the grooves of profiled boards. These findings help explain why checks in profiled deck boards are mainly confined to profile grooves where they are difficult to see, and the success of profiling at reducing the negative effects of checking on the appearance of wood decking.
J Mallet, S Kalyanasundaram, P D Evansa


The impact of coatings on the service life of wood decking
2018 - IRG/WP 18-20635
The durability of wood decks depends on the nature of the environment in which they are exposed to, the dimensions and configuration of the components, the resistance of the wood to degrading factors in that environment, and the maintenance performed on the deck. The present work seeks to better understand the performance of selected wood decking systems when maintained and unmaintained. This expe...
R Stirling, D Wong


Enhancing service life performance of oak decking and cladding using organosilicon treatments
2018 - IRG/WP 18-40838
The Life+ project SILEX, in full “Improving sustainability of construction materials using innovative Silicon based treatment” started in April 2013 and was finalized mid 2017. The aim of this project was to demonstrate that a new class of compounds can be used for wood treatment for an extended service life combined with enhanced new testing methodology. Ultimately, it was the intention to de...
J Van Acker, J Van den Bulcke, J-P Lecomte


Performance of untreated timbers in above ground decking tests: Preliminary results from an international collaborative trial
2019 - IRG/WP 19-10940
The ability to accurately predict wood decay risks under varying environmental conditions has long been of interest to timber users. Accurate predictions are difficult owing to the myriad of variables associated with the decay process including wood species, wood inhabiting organisms, timber building element design and environmental conditions. Despite these difficulties, decay predictions have be...
L P Francis, J Norton, E Melcher, A H H Wong, J Kok Lai, M Klamer, M J Konkler, J J. Morrell


Performance of wood decking after 5 years of exposure: verification of the combined effect of wetting ability and durability
2019 - IRG/WP 19-20647
Wood is one of the most important construction materials and its use in building applications has further expanded in recent decades. In order to enable even more extensive and reliable use of wood, factors affecting wood’s service life need to be understood. More recently, a new concept to characterize the durability of wood-based materials and to predict the service lives of wood was proposed,...
M Humar, D Krzisnik, B Lesar, C Brischke


Performance of naturally durable decks after 15 years of field exposure
2020 - IRG/WP 20-10963
A decking test of Canadian species considered to be naturally durable was inspected after 15 years of exposure at test sites in Ontario and British Columbia. Based on the materials used in this experiment, Douglas-fir and yellow cypress had the greatest decay resistance, followed by eastern white cedar and western redcedar, and then by western larch and tamarack. All materials tested were more dur...
R Stirling, D Wong


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