Protecting Wood Composites for Use in Hawaii

摘要

Termites and decay present a major problem for wood and wood composites used in construction in Hawaii. Solvent-based preservative treatments have provided protection to wood composite building materials for nearly 30 years; however the organic solvent carriers have some disadvantages. As a consequence, steel framing has taken market share in Hawaii. A new treatment based on a buffered amine oxide carrier system has been developed for rapidly delivering preservatives and other protectants into wood and wood composite substrates. It is known commercially as the TRU-CORE Treated Wood Preservative System. One of its unique features is its ability to penetrate wood composites post-fabrication without the use of organic solvents. It has been shown to provide excellent protection against decay and Formosan termites in laboratory and field tests, and the treatment has no deleterious effects on the mechanical properties of load bearing components such as I-joists. TRU-CORE Type 1, based on a borate and Permethrin combination, was approved by the code authorities of the City and County of Honolulu in 2010 and was introduced commercially in 2012 for the protection of wood composite building materials. Because it offers advantages over traditional treatments, TRU-CORE Type 1 is helping to reclaim market share from steel framing in residential construction in Hawaii and other Pacific islands.