Tech Library – Preserved Wood

Online Library for Preserved Wood

WWPI is the recognized source for information on preservative-treated wood, offering a variety of publications and digital tools detailing how to properly specify and use preserved wood products. To view or download a publication, click on the publication or icon. Please review the Disclaimer concerning this information.

Use the Categories on the right for fast access to publications by subject.

Sources

Sources Of Supply

Directory of Western preserved wood products manufacturers, with sales contact information and preservative treatments offered.
2 pages, 07/24

Specifying Preserved Wood

Treated Wood Guide smartphone app

App for smartphones and tablets that puts information to select the right preserved wood products right in your hand. Available for Apple iOS and Google Android smartphones and tablets and can be downloaded from the respective app stores.
Free app

Preserved Wood: Wood That Lasts

Full-color overview of Western preserved wood uses, standards, quality assurance, preservatives and environmental benefits.
8 pages, 12/16

International editions
Wood That Lasts – Chinese
Wood That Lasts – Japanese
Wood That Lasts – Spanish

Preserved Wood Infographic

See the typical uses of preserved wood in a residential setting in this infographic. Developed through the AWPA Education Task Group, the infographic provides guidance in selecting the right preserved wood for common uses around the home.
2 pages, 05/20

Guidelines for the Selection and Use of Pressure-Treated Wood

U.S. Forest Product Laboratory guide summarizing the characteristics of pressure-treating preservatives and providing guidance for the selection of preserved wood for specific applications. It also discusses construction practices, service life expectations and environmental considerations.
40 pages, 03/20

Durable Solutions for Balconies & Decks

Guide identifying design principles and construction practices to improve the moisture performance of wood-framed balconies and decks in low- and mid-rise multifamily buildings. Published by the U.S. Forest Product Laboratory and Home Innovation Research Labs.
68 pages, 05/23

PreserveSpec – Preserved Wood and the 2018 International Building Code

Code references recognizing the use of preserved wood in building construction in the 2018 International Building Code (IBC).
2 pages, 05/18

PreserveSpec – Preserved Wood and the 2018 International Residential Code

Code references recognizing the use of preserved wood in residential construction in the 2018 International Residential Code (IRC).
2 pages, 05/18

ALSC Accredited Agencies – Treated Wood

Listing of agencies accredited by the American Lumber Standard Committee to provide third-party inspection of preserved wood products.
3 pages, 01/23

Product Use

Performance of Wood Coatings vs. Preserved Wood

Final report on a nine-year research project by Oregon State University assessing the performance of wood protection coatings such as BluWood, TimberSil and Eco Red Shield compared to pressure-treated wood.
18 pages, 06/23

PreserveTech – Preservatives

Overview of the preservatives used in the most commonly available preserved wood products in the building materials market today.
2 pages, 05/23

PreserveTech – Infrastructure Preservatives

Overview of the oil-type preservatives used for infrastructure products such as utility poles, rail ties, bridge timbers and marine pilings.
2 pages, 05/23

PreserveTech – Safe Garden Boxes Using Preserved Wood

Product technical sheet detailing research that shows vegetables and plants grown in preserved wood garden boxes are safe. Studies by Oregon State University indicate the preservative does not affect the produce, contrary to unwarranted concerns seen on the Internet.
2 pages, 04/24

PreserveTech – Checks and Splits

Product technical sheet reviewing checks and splits in timbers, beams,posts and other sawn lumber, why they occur and how they typically have little impact on the structural or servicability of preserved wood products.
1 page, 06/23

PreserveTech – Incising

Product technical sheet describing incising for preserved wood products, explaining why and how wood is incised and the impacts on the strength values of the wood.
1 page, 05/15

PreserveTech – Fasteners

Product technical sheet describing the recommended fasteners for preserved wood and the building code requirements for fasteners such as nails, nuts, bolts and washers.
1 page, 12/19

PreserveTech – Field Treating

Product technical sheet describing the recommended field treating for cuts and holes make in preserved wood during construction. Includes links to recommended preservatives for field treating.
1 page, 11/24

PreserveTech – Specifying Landscape Timbers

Product technical sheet describing the how to specify properly pressure-treated landscape timbers and caution about materials that are made to look like pressure-treated products but do not have the same protections against decay fungi or insects.
1 page, 07/15

PreserveTech – Converting to Use Categories from C-Standards

Product technical sheet describing how to convert specification referencing the previous Commodity or C-Standards to the current AWPA Use Category and Commodity Specifications.
1 page, 03/16

Condition of CCA Treated Guardrail Posts after 20 Years in Service

Report by Oregon State University on the condition of Hem-Fir guardrail posts preserved with CCA after 20 years in service in Washington state.
19 pages, 11/12

Wood Handbook – Wood as an Engineering Material

U.S. Forest Products Laboratory guide to using wood as an engineering material, reviewing all aspects of using wood in construction — including pressure treating. Presented online with links to each of the 20 chapters of the book.
543 pages, 03/21

Wood Handbook – Chapter 15, Wood Preservatives

Selected chapter from Wood Handbook detailing wood preservatives and the process of making, selecting and using pressure-treated wood products.
28 pages, 03/21

Environment

PreserveWise – Life Cycle Assessments and Preserved Wood

Overview comparing the environmental friendliness of building materials using internationally accepted Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs). Explores how preserved wood products offer the lowest environmental impact vs. alternative materials using objective standards.
2 pages, 06/23

PreserveWise – Sustainability of Preserved Wood Products

Review of the renewability and sustainability of preserved wood products used in construction. Details how the long service life of preserved wood allows new trees to be grown to become the source for replacement products.
2 pages, 04/22

Summary – LCA of ACQ Wood Decking vs. Wood Plastic Composite Decking

Executive summary of a life cycle assessment detailing the environmental impacts of ACQ-treated lumber decking compared to wood plastic composite decking.
6 pages, 05/12

Click here to purchase full LCA report.

Summary – LCA of Borate-Treated Lumber Framing vs. Galvanized Steel Framing

Executive summary of a life cycle assessment detailing the environmental impacts of borate-treated framing lumber compared to galvanized steel framing.
6 pages, 05/12

Click here to purchase full LCA report.

Summary – LCA of Wood Marine Pilings

Executive summary of a life cycle assessment detailing the environmental impacts of wood marine pilings compared to concrete, galvanized steel and plastic marine pilings.
6 pages, 11/12

Click here to purchase full LCA report.

Summary – LCA of Highway Guard Rail Posts

Executive summary of a life cycle assessment detailing the environmental impacts of CCA-treated highway guard rail posts compared to galvanized steel posts.
6 pages, 02/13

Click here to view and download full LCA report.

Summary – LCA of Railroad Ties

Executive summary of a life cycle assessment detailing the environmental impacts of Creosote-treated railroad ties compared to concrete and plastic rail ties.
7 pages, 04/13

Click here to view and download full LCA report.

Economic Evaluation of Treated Wood and Steel Guard Rail Posts

Detailed evaluation of the environmental impacts and economics of treated wood and galvanized steel guard rail posts.
8 pages, 05/13

Carbon Impacts of Wood

A U.S. Forest Products Laboratory overview of calculating the carbon footprint of wood products.
4 pages, 01/13

Aquatics

Specifiers Guide – Best Management Practices

Overview of the industry’s Best Management Practices (BMP) program and guidelines for specifiers to ensure BMP-compliant preserved wood products are produced and installed in a manner which minimizes any potential for adverse impacts to aquatic environments.
16 pages, 12/18

Production Guide – Best Management Practices

Overview of the wood treating production processes to meet the Best Management Practices (BMP) program that ensure BMP-compliant preserved wood products are produced in a manner which minimizes any potential for adverse impacts to sensative and aquatic environments.
20 pages, 03/19

Treated Wood In Aquatic Environments

Specification and environmental guide for selecting, installing and managing wood preservation systems in aquatic and wetland environments.
36 pages, 12/12

Screening Level Assessment Process and Worksheets

An overview and instructions on how to use the Environmental Assessment Model to estimate the potential effects of proposed applications of treated wood in aquatic environments to meet Endangered Species Act consultations through NOAA.
36 pages, 04/11

Online Environmental Assessment Model

An online preservative risk assessment model that evaluates preserved wood structures above and below water and estimates potential migration of preservatives into the environment. Provides inputs for a variety of environmental conditions where the preserved wood will be used and covers 11 of the most commonly used preservatives.

Environmental Assessment Model – Excel

An Excel-based version of a preservative risk assessment model that provides evaluation of structures above and below water built with wood treated with one of 11 of the most commonly used preservatives. Microsoft Excel is required to use the model.
.ZIP file, 04/10

Modeling the Environmental Risk for Treated Wood in Sensitive Environments

Description of the science behind the Environmental Assessment Model, excerpted from aquatic science book “Managing Treated Wood in the Environment” by Dr. Kenneth Brooks.
94 pages, 02/09

See below to review full book.

NOAA Fisheries Guidelines for Use of Treated Wood In Aquatic Environments

Guidance document for fisheries biologists in assessing the uses of preserved wood in aquatic environments.
58 pages, 10/09

Timber Pile Design and Construction Manual

Engineering and design manual for timber pilings in construction.
145 pages, 07/16

Managing Treated Wood in Aquatic Environments

Textbook published by the Forest Products Society detailing industry research on using preservative-treated wood products in aquatics.
504 pages, 2011

Agriculture

Post and Pole Manufacturer Survey 2023

Report on a survey of post and pole manufacturers in the Inland West reviewing their competitive position, sources of raw material, markets for products and issues impacting the future of the industry.
26 pages, 07/23

PreserveTech – Specifying Preserved Wood Posts for Agriculture

Product technical sheet describing how to specify pressure-treated round posts for use in agriculture and the impact of heartwood in preservative treating such posts.
1 page, 11/15

PreserveTech – Safe Garden Boxes Using Preserved Wood

Utility Poles

WoodPoles.org Technical Library

Link to North American Wood Pole Council library of publications on treated wood poles.

Fire Retardant

FireResistantWood.org

Link to website detailing fire retardant-treated wood and how to properly specify and source the products. Features an Online Technical Library for fire retardant lumber and plywood.

Disposal

Waterborne Wood Preservation and End-of-Life Removal

Scientific paper reviewing the history and projections of end-of-life removal of wood products treated with waterborne preservatives, highlighting the declining volue of wood containing arsenicals being disposed.
23 pages, 02/20

Management of Used Treated Wood – Federal

Overview of the federal requirements for managing and disposing of used preserved wood products.
17 pages, 01/01

Management of Used Treated Wood – West

Overview of the requirements by Western states for managing and disposing of used preserved wood products.
6 pages, 01/10

California Disposal

TWWDisposal.org

Link to website featuring comprehensive information on disposing of Treated Wood Waste (TWW) in the state of California. Details the responsibilities for those disposing of TWW and includes links to the list of authorized landfills in the state that can accept TWW.