The Heart of the Matter
Preservatives and processes behind MATIMCO’s wood products

There are a wide variety of wood brands in the market nowadays, but it cannot be said that the only difference that sets one brand from another is price. The quality of wood and legitimacy of sources were once the yardsticks for price differences. In today’s setting, one of the more crucial differences is the kind of preservative used in processing the wood products. The type of formula used determines not just the overall quality of the timber but also its suitability for human use.

Treatments: which is which?

Wood preservation has been in practice for almost as long as wood has been first used as a building material. The modern treatments are designed to protect against primary wood nuances such as termites, woodborers, and fungal decay.

The more common types of wood preservatives used over the decades are water-borne, oil-borne substances and Light Organic Solvent Preservatives or LOSP (See adjacent chart showing the different types of treatments and their characteristics). An example of water-borne treatment is Chromated Copper Arsenate or CCA (Used for hazard classes H1-H6), which contains harmful carcinogenic components such as chromium and arsenic. The Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has already issued a statement regarding CCA’s threat to health and environment. Alkaline Copper Quaternary or ACQ (used for hazard classes H1-H5), another water-borne formula, is proven safe only in regulated doses because of its high copper content. Micronized Copper Preservative (used for hazard classes H1-H5) is another popular type, which makes use of copper particles suspended in water. There is a resurgence of the use of Borates (used for hazard class H1), which contain dissodium, octaborate, tetrahydrate, boric acid, oxides and salts. This treatment offers less toxicity to humans, however this can easily be dragged out by moisture so regular treatment is required. Oil-based preservatives were banned in the last century for its unpleasant odor and toxic content.

LOSP, in contrast to water- and oil-based treatments, does not contain heavy metals. It also easily penetrates wood. Local wood processing company MATIMCO uses LOSP for its products that are intended for indoor applications up to outdoor application that are above ground. ACQ is used for wood used for in-ground contact.

MATIMCO uses the Solignum brand of LOSP in particular since it is the only known LOSP that gives 98 percent protection even after five years when other generic LOSPs only give approximately 42 percent protection for up to four months. MATIMCO’s outdoor wood line, WeatherWood, is treated with Solignum and has a hazard class rating of up to H3.1. WeatherWood used for in ground contact or hazard classes H3.2 and H4 uses ACQ.

Osmose Timber Enhancement, the makers of Solignum offers different formulations for different countries depending on the intensity of termites and the standard chemicals allowed in the countries they service. Since the Philippines has not yet set standards on the required treatments for the present termites, it was recommended that it follows the Australian standards since Australia is known to have the harshest termite species in the world. The Philippines has similar species to the ones found in Australia. Some countries use milder formulations because of the absence of termites or the lack of harsh threats to wood. For instance, it cannot be concluded that H3 in New Zealand is the same in Australia.