Wood Preservation Manual

Introduction; What is preservation; Nature of wood; Decay Hazards; wood preservatives; Log protection/ Preservation; Preparation of Materials; Wood Preserving Processes; Treatment methods; Post Treatment Handling; Properties and uses of treated wood; Environmental Health and Safety measures; Design of Treatment area; Economic aspects of wood preservation; Appendices.

The purpose of this publication is to discuss the application of the results of numerous experiments and observations of the pressure treatment of wood and to present general information relating to the subject. Such information is of value to engineers, treating-plant operators, inspectors, and others interested in the preparation of specifications and in the application of pressure-treating processes.

THE purpose of this book is to present in concise form the essential information concerning the preservation of timber which has appeared in the proceedings of the American Wood Preservers' Association and elsewhere during recent years... Contains a chronology of the development of wood preservation in this country... also... a bibliography. * * * * * * From the Foreword: Wood properly preserved is practically permanent wood, and because efficient avoids the cost of unnecessary replacements. The treatment of timber to make it last the limit of its serviceability is a fundamental feature of modern engineering. Briefly, in the following pages, the American Wood-Preservers' Association presents facts and figures for those becoming interested in the subject. Further information will be cheerfully given by any of its members or officers (see pages 47-55). Reference to the literature listed on pages 56-73 also is recommended. The most comprehensive publications on the subject are the Proceedings of the American Wood-Preservers' Association and Howard F. Weiss' "Preservation of Structural Timber." For the guidance of treating-plant operators, construction engineers, and others interested in the technique of wood preservation, the American Wood Preservers' Association will soon issue the beginnings of a Manual of Recommended Practice. By up-to-date methods and in conformity with the best practice wood can be so preserved that its life is prolonged to at least three times what it would be without treatment. Consumers of wood can figure the savings for their own particular service, after getting quotations from their nearest wood-preserving plant.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

This is a Foreword by an archaeologist, not a conservator, but as Brad Rodgers says, “Conservation has been steadily pulled from archaeology by the forces of specialization”(p. 3),andhewantstoremedythatsituationthroughthismanual. He seesthisworkasa“calltoactionforthenon-professionalconservator,”permitting “curators, conservators, and archaeologists to identify artifacts that need prof- sional attention and, allow these professionals to stabilize most artifacts in their own laboratories with minimal intervention, using simple non-toxic procedures” (p. 5). It is the mission of Brad’s manual to “bring conservation back into arch- ology” (p. 6). The degree of success of that goal depends on the degree to which archaeologists pay attention to, and put to use, what Brad has to say, because as he says, “The conservationist/archaeologist is responsible to make preparation for an artifact’s care even before it is excavated and after its storage into the foreseeable future”. . . a tremendous responsibility” (p. 10). The manual is a combination of highly technical as well as common sense methods of conserving wood, iron and other metals, ceramics, glass and stone, organicsandcomposits—afarbetterguidetoartifactconservationthanwasava- able to me when I ?rst faced that archaeological challenge at colonial Brunswick Town, North Carolina in 1958—a challenge still being faced by archaeologists today. The stage of conservation in 1958 is in dramatic contrast to the procedures Brad describes in this manual—conservation has indeed made great progress. For instance,acommonprocedurethenwastoheattheartifactsredhotinafurnace—a method that made me cringe.