Disposal
The wood that has been coated in the semi-permeable vapor film and the DOT can be disposed of in the same ways that untreated and white wood are disposed. This coated wood can be disposed of in local landfills, used in mulch, and burned in compliance with Federal, State, and local regulations.Wood that has undergone the two-step coating process can even be recycled.

In most communities, before chemically treated wood can be publically disposed, it must be proven that no metals are in the wood and that the level of pesticide in the wood falls below a level pre- determined by the government.

Pressure-treated wood is not easily allowed back into the environment. The arsenic or copper metals used in the wood preservative require special disposal. Pressure-treated wood should not be burned residentially under any circumstances. Federal and State regulations mandate that treated wood be burned in an approved commercial or industrial incinerator facility. The ash is toxic because the arsenic in the preservative does not burn off. Do not add pressure-treated wood to residential soil or compost heaps.

Threat of Corrosion
The two-step coating process does not add any threat of corrosion to the internal envelope of the house. The coatings applied are not corrosive to any type of metal fastener or plate. No special nails or screws must be used throughout the project.

With the addition of copper compounds to the preservative used in pressure treatment, pressure-treated materials are now more corrosive to common steel. Protect the integrity of the building envelope by using corrosion-resistant nails, screws, and connectors. The copper present in the wood also creates the possibility of a galvanic reaction with dissimilar metals. Fasteners and flashings should be stainless steel or copper whenever possible to reduce this risk.

The threat of corrosion to homeowner safety depends upon where the pressure-treated wood is being used. If the mailbox falls down due to corrosion, no harm, no foul. If the corrosion occurs on the sill plate, where the wood frame of the house attaches to the cement foundation, the risks of structural damage and personal harm become serious.

Specification Example
Architects can ensure that the wood components used in the envelope of a home are protected from mold fungus growth, rot fungi, and wood-ingesting insects in their project specification. An example of a project spec designed to incorporate this desired level of protection is below.

Materials:A pre-construction, factory applied two-part DOT wood preservative and infusion film wood component coating. The DOT is a fungicide and insecticide that prevents damage by rot fungi and wood ingesting insects, including subterranean and Formosan termites. The infusion film is a water repellant, semi-vapor permeable film that limits moisture absorption. The infusion film is specially formulated to resist mold fungus growth on the cured surface of the film.

Coating Applications: DOT wood preservative and infusion film wood coating technology is factory applied by authorized, licensed wood coating application companies. Wood components are delivered to the job-site by the builders' current source of supply for structural components, wood framing materials and building materials. Precise process control assures proper application of the two-part system to all sides, edges, and ends of each wood component.

Quality Assurance: Factory application of the two-part DOT wood preservative and infusion film process to be precisely monitored by qualified personnel. Scientific testing analysis, mandatory quality control procedures and policies by licensed wood coating companies and manufacturers, field and laboratory technicians/chemists to be verified by third party inspection.

Worrying about the problems that are not readily visible in a home, such as the problems growing behind the walls and in the ceiling, can drive any sane person crazy. The damaging relationship between water and wood can be a significant contributor to the worry burden. Every drop of rain, cloud of mist, steaming teapot, or humming air conditioner could release the water droplet that would wiggle down in between two boards in the envelope of the house or in the attic, inviting mold, rot fungi, and termite destruction. Architects can help reduce builder and homeowner worries by specifying project materials that pre-empt those wood and water battles. When all of the wood framing components have been protected against moisture-related problems, wood building products can continue to be the products of choice by quality conscious builders.

After nearly 30 years in the development and marketing of specialty coatings, WoodSmart Solutions, Inc., Boca Raton, Fl., developed BLUWOOD to be the premier innovative wood coating technology addressing mold and moisture control issues associated with wood framing components; supplied to contractors through their current source of supply for lumber, structural components and building materials. www.bluwood.com