54 | Sector Focus: Preservatives & Fire Retardants


SUMMARY


■The WPA provided technical input at a recent STTA workshop


■Delegates were guided on the importance of species choice


■Demand for independent quality verification of treated wood in the UK is growing


■British standards for the impregnation of wood are set out in BS8417


FOREST TO FENCE


The Wood Protection Association provided technical input on a recent workshop in Scotland on treated wood quality


‘Forest to Fence’ was a recent workshop staged by the Scottish Timber Trade Association (STTA) about treated wood used in ground contact, with technical input provided by the Wood Protection Association (WPA) represented by Neil Ryan. The focus of the workshop was on fence posts and treated wood in direct contact with the ground which, says the WPA, is one of the most challenging environments for timber unless it’s correctly treated. Delegates were guided through the stages involved in producing a treated wood fence post that can be trusted. These were:


• Timber choice • Preservative development • The timber treatment process


• Correct installation TIMBER CHOICE


Preservative treatment adds value to softwood products by enhancing their durability (resistance to decay and insects) and extending service life. “However, the species, its origin and how the log is machined mean that the characteristics of sawn timber for preservative treatment is variable,” said Mr Ryan, who explained that the natural durability of softwood species, sapwood to heartwood


• Correct specification by the buyer and marketing by merchants


Above: The WPA established an independent field trial in 2015 TTJ | May/June 2023 | www.ttjonline.com


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