Next Generation Pressure-treated Lumber Boasts New Advantages

(ARA) - With America’s burgeoning interest in home improvement, it’s no surprise there are so many new products on the market. Home improvement stores offer immense variety, even for the most basic building materials, like wood.

If you go shopping for wood today, you’ll find several kinds: softwoods, hardwoods and pressure-treated, as well as wood composites. You can even buy vinyl and aluminum products for traditional wood applications. So what is the best option?

Experts say it depends on the project and the maintenance requirements. For many years, the most popular product for building fences, decks, planter boxes and other outdoor structures has been pressure-treated wood. Pressure-treated wood uses preservatives to prolong the life of the wood. When first introduced for residential use decades ago, homeowners were thrilled with its performance and it continues to be the product of choice for myriad outdoor applications.

The preservatives used to make pressure-treated wood make the product resistant to decay and termite attack. The most common types of treated wood, ACQ and Copper Azole, require the use of fasteners and connectors with more corrosion protection than what was required with CCA-treated wood, which was phased out in 2003. This means builders who use ACQ and Copper Azole have to pay more attention to the type of fasteners and hardware they use.

One of the most popular alternatives to hit the market in recent years is a product called ProWood Micro, recently introduced by Universal Forest Products, the nation’s leading pressure-treated wood manufacturer. ProWood Micro was named one of the Top 50 Best New Products at the International Builders’ Show this year.

ProWood Micro is different from the other copper-based preservatives (ACQ, Copper Azole) in that its copper component uses micronizing technology. Micronizing eliminates the solvent that is needed with ACQ and Copper Azole. No solvent means better corrosion properties and a lighter, fresher appearance. Tests have shown that it maintains its natural wood beauty longer than non-treated wood and other pressure-treated brands. In addition, ProWood Micro can be used with the same hot-dipped galvanized fasteners that were used with CCA. ProWood Micro is also compatible with aluminum, whereas ACQ and Copper Azole are not.

Deck installers are enamored of the product as well. “I like how the new ProWood Micro doesn’t have that dark green tint -- it looks more like natural, untreated wood”, says Rich Dykhouse, a builder who has been installing decks for over 20 years. “Plus, I don’t have to charge my customers extra for the more expensive fasteners that are required for the other types of treated lumber.”

The company also offers ProWood Micro with MicroShades, a pre-colored version of the treated lumber product. ProWood Micro with MicroShades is tinted to a natural, wood-tone color. MicroShades is the only commercially available wood colorant that uses an in-solution pigment system, making it more fade resistant and more consistent in color compared to dyes. It also has better penetration than stain. What’s more, ProWood Micro with MicroShades maintains natural wood characteristics and has a two-year warranty against color loss for fence products.

“Homeowners and builders both latched on to the concept of pressure-treated wood because of its long life. ProWood Micro has that same benefit, but after one year of exposure it maintains its original beauty much better than untreated products like cedar and redwood,” says Dick Gauthier, vice president of marketing for Universal Forest Products. In addition, Gauthier adds, “ProWood Micro can be used with aluminum and standard hot-dipped galvanized fasteners.”

Environmentalists say that pressure-treated wood is, in general, good for the environment. The product lasts longer than untreated wood, meaning fewer trees are harvested. Less lumber is being trucked, meaning less fuel consumed. Pressure-treated wood also uses less energy in the manufacturing process than non-traditional materials like plastic or steel.

ProWood Micro is clearly tagged and available at The Home Depot and lumber and hardware stores throughout most of the U.S. For additional information and comparisons, visit www.prowoodmicro.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent