Preservative Treatments on Wood and Their Effects on Metal Fasteners

Abstract

Wood as a building material has characteristics that make it attractive environmentally compared to other materials. It is an economic, historical and sustainable material. Many species of wood are naturally resistant to the action of the organisms that degrade them. However, species with this natural resistance are unable to meet the demand for wood and wood-based products, which have been growing year by year. The scarcity of species resistant to biological degradation forced man to use other less durable species, mainly of rapid growth, from reforestation, such as some species of Eucalyptus and Pinus. These species have moderate or no resistance to attack by biological agents and require preservative treatments. And to increase the life span of these fast-growing woods, protecting them from fungi, insects and other xylophagous organisms, several preservative agents are used, these compounds being highly toxic to these biodeteriorating organisms. It is known that the effectiveness of traditional wood preservation systems is due to the biocidal effect of the products used, however, they pollute the environment. Thus, there is an increasing need to develop effective preservative chemicals, non-toxic to humans and the environment.