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Show With more and more people peo-ple begining to see the beauty, of a fancy wood deck, it is important to remember that wood is easily decayed when not treated properly. Taking the proper care, all types of fences, planter boxes, wooden decks, stairways, stair-ways, etc., can be preserved much longer than usual. Decay is a process in wood caused by low forms of plant life (micro-organisms) called fungi. Some fungi use wood as food, reducing it's strength and eventually rendering it unfit for use. As the wood-strength is broken down, it enters into a condition commonly referred to as 'rotten" or.. In the early stages of decay,' when decay is minimal, the accompanying decrease in the degree of polymerization is apparently sufficient to weaken the strength of the wood considerably. con-siderably. Polymerization is the combining com-bining chemically of two molecules to forma an even larger molecule. This attack on the strength, causes the wood to decay even faster if left untreated. Several speciaes have a natural resistor in the "heart-wood," "heart-wood," These resistors are phenolic compounds and other chemicals present in the wood. Another destroyer of wood is the termite, which also prays on wood. Early detection of these insects is easy with the holes, hollow sounding of wood. Now that we have identified iden-tified the most common enemies, there are numerous ways to prevent decay. Now days, the most com- mon way to prevent the decay'of wood by fungi, is to start out the project with pressure treated wood. Most contractors realize the importance im-portance of pressure treated wood when constructing any wood project which might get wet. A breif description of the pressure treatment process will help explain the decay resistant properties of the pressurized wood. Before treatment, the wood must be thoroughly dried to allow cells within the wood, room to accept the preservatives. When the proper pro-per drying has taken place, the lumber is loaded onto narrow rail, tram cars and wheeled into a long horizontal horizon-tal cylinder, where the pressure treatment takes place. With the cylinder door tightly sealed, a preservative solution is admittetd into the cylinder under pressure of up to 150 pounds per square inch. The process continues until the proper amount of preservative is absorbsed by the wood. Wood that has been properly pro-perly pressure treated is rendered inedible to both fungi and termites. The wood is, therefore, not subject sub-ject to decay and will last considerably longer. U.S. Department of Agriculture reserch has determined that pressure treated wood may last up to 50 years when exposed to the elimates in as temperate climate. Some advantages when us- - ing tempered wood, is the 'decayed.' Fungi are found thorughout much .of the world inhabited by man. They cannot grow in the extreme ex-treme cold climates such as the deep-freezing north artic regions, though there are certain cer-tain forms that grow in the southern parts of Alaska. Among the most common types of fungi are those that live off wood that is damp but not saturated with water. These fungi, which belong to the most advanced class of fungi on the evolutionary scale, produce what is know as brown rot and white rot. Other fungi grow near the surface of very wet wood, causing soft rot. If there is constant moisture on the wood, it is almost guaranteed to get some form of this fungi. Detecting the fungi is much more diffucult for the white and brown rot, but is fairly easy on the soft rot since it leaves a soft fuzzy fur on the wood where it is present. Brown rot and white rot are responsible for the most destructive and economically important types of decay. These fungi inhabit the wood cells and penetrate deep into the wood, passing from cell to cell. Natural openings in the wood(pits) and enzymatically created bore holes provide easy access to the cells for these two fungi. chance of decay as is il-lustratec il-lustratec by the USDA. It also forstalls the need to replace the wood only after a short period of use, and there is no costly maintenance. But, if your deck is made from the unpressurized wood, it is important that the treatment and care be made immediately Since we live in the high mountains, there is always considerable amounts of snow in the winter, and there is always rain in the spring and the fall. Moisture from the hot tub, from planters on the deck, and morning dew, will leave moisture on the deck surface. There are several methods to treat wood, with a variety of different substances. Dipping, spraying, and brushing all get the job done effectively. Most of these treatments are superficial, but give relief to the problem of decay. Oils and paints (some specialized paints) will also give the added add-ed need to keep the wood from decaying. Most hardware and paint stores will have qualified help to explain the different brands available. Do a little shoppping, it may save you some money. It is important that several brushes are purchased, since there are many grooves and tight spots that are to awkward and hard to get with one standard brush. It is also important that the protectant be brushed on in all the spots, since it is these areas that are usually collectors for moisture. Three brushes are usually enough. They should range . in size from a 4 inch, a 2 inch, and a narrow V inch brush. The larger brushes can give fast coverage of large areas, while the smaller one is for the tight spots. Application of preservatives preser-vatives should be made so the wood will have plenty of time to soak the retardant in the pits. It should be applied with the thought in mind that the wood will only soak up the first layers. There is no way the very core of the unpressurized un-pressurized wood can be protected. pro-tected. If you have a wood deck, enjoy. If you are planning to build one in the future, be sure to check out the facts, making sure that all the alternatives alter-natives are researched. |
