Putting Preserved Wood Back on the Forest Industry Map

摘要

What differentiates wood the most from other building products is that it is renewable and sustainable. The inputs for wood are seeds, soil, water, sun, and CO2. The outputs for forests while growing for 30-80 years under wise forest management are oxygen, habitat, stored carbon, and mature forest that can be made into wood products.A simple view of the fundamentals of forest management is to plant more than you cut down. However, that is only half of the sustainability life cycle. Until the new tree is grown and harvested, the wood needs to remain in service. Otherwise the forest'sability to catch up with demand could be hindered, especially considering fires, insects, and diseases that also kill trees.We have to make the wood last long enough for a replacement tree to grow. How this is done depends on where the wood is used. Interior wood is protected by the rest of the building (sheathing, siding, drains, etc.) as well as other protections such as fire retardants and preservatives for insects and mold. Exterior wood is preserved by pressure treating to protect against insects and decay fungi, as well as other moisture control methods (deflection, barriers, design, etc.).This is why we preserve wood It is not just because it is required by code or to make it last. We preserve wood for safety and to ensure sustainability. Unfortunately, there are some negative perceptions about treated wood.