IRG Documents Database and Compendium


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Life Cycle Assessment Comparison of Treated Wood to Alternate Materials – Overview, Results and Lessons
2011 - IRG/WP 11-50282
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) has proven useful in documenting the “green” benefits of various treated products compared to the commonly used alternates. To date, six LCA comparisons have been done or are nearing completion using ISO14040 and 14044 principles and data from US EPA databases. In almost all cases, the impact indicators for treated wood products show considerably smaller adverse e...
T Stephen, P E Smith, C R McIntyre


Comparative studies on the moisture performance and durability of wooden facades
2012 - IRG/WP 12-20492
Wooden claddings are traditionally used in many parts of the world. Also modern structures are frequently made from timber and timber engineering panel products. However, wood has to compete with other cladding materials and its durability needs to assure sufficient functional and aesthetic service life. Besides many other factors the durability of a wooden facade is dominated by its moisture perf...
T Bornemann, C Brischke, J-M Lück


Mould growth on wood-based materials – a simulated in-service study
2012 - IRG/WP 12-20503
Ten different wood-based materials including preservative-treated wood, fire retardant-treated wood, modified wood, WPCs and untreated references of pine sapwood and spruce were placed in three different environments (an attic and two crawl spaces) for a period of 26 months. Mould growth was analysed at five to seven month intervals in an effort to map the growth development. The relative humidit...
G Bok, P Johansson, J Jermer


Triazole – based ionic liquids to protect of lignocellulosic materials against fungi
2012 - IRG/WP 12-30601
In presented paper we examined on biotic properties of novel structure of tebuconazole derivatieves: tebuconazole hydrochloride, allyltebuconazole chloride, methyltebuconazole iodide, tebuconazole dihydrocitrate. Our investigation against wood-degrading fungi were contained also the didecyldimethylammonium 3-aminotriazolate as well as didecyldime-thylammonium nitrate(V) with tebuconazole or wit...
J Zabielska-Matejuk, J Pernak, I Frąckowiak, A Stangierska, W Przybylska, M Kot


Communities of mold fungi on flooded building materials
2013 - IRG/WP 13-10799
A small building built to residential code was flooded using farmland pond water to a depth of two feet at Tuskegee University. The building was drained and left enclosed for an additional three weeks. A total of 168 material samples were removed either immediately after opening (wet) or seven months after flooding (dry). Wall materials sampled included fiberglass batt insulation, gypsum wallboard...
F Skrobot III, H Aglan, S V Diehl


Focus on the European standardization - Towards a revision of the EN 350 natural durability standard: a different approach to the inherent resistance and performance of wood and wood-based materials
2013 - IRG 13-10811
The European standard EN 350 “Natural durability of solid wood”, Parts 1 and 2, is one of the fundamental standards developed by the CEN/TC 38 “Durability of wood and wood-based products”. This standard is widely used by wood industries as the reference document which provides information on the resistance of wood species used in mainly the construction sector against decay fungi, wood-bor...
M Kutnik


Climatic impacts on the moisture performance of wooden decking and facades
2013 - IRG/WP 13-20518
In outdoor usage wood is exposed to a variety of influences, which reduce its durability against biological deterioration and wetting. Besides many other factors the service life of wooden facades and cladding is dominated by occurring moisture loads on the one hand and their capability to withstand moisture on the other hand. Hence, climatic factors have a direct impact on the material climate an...
T Bornemann, C Brischke, G Alfredsen


Method for determining the critical moisture level for mould growth on building materials
2013 - IRG/WP 13-20530
The natural conditions of relative humidity (RH) and temperature (T) in different parts of a building is rarely constant over time. Instead, RH and T often vary cyclically and may pose a risk of mould growth as these conditions are the two key environmental parameters that controls mould growth. Consideration to both humidity and temperature conditions and the susceptibility to mould in a material...
A Ekstrand-Tobin, P Johansson, G Bok


Conclusions and Summary Report on an Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of ACQ-Treated Lumber Decking with Comparisons to Wood Plastic Composite Decking
2013 - IRG/WP 13-50295
The Treated Wood Council has completed a quantitative evaluation of the environmental impacts associated with the national production, use, and disposition of ACQ (alkaline copper quaternary)-treated lumber decking and wood plastic composite decking using life cycle assessment (LCA) methodologies and following ISO 14044 standards. The results for treated wood decking are significant. • Less En...
AquAeTer, Inc.


Communities of mold fungi in moisture damaged building materials
2014 - IRG/WP 14-20542
The critical conditions needed for the development of mould and decay fungi have been modelled for different building materials. However, current knowledge of indoor microbes growing on building materials relies on culture-based methods and more advanced molecular biological techniques should be employed to study the complex microbial communities in building materials. In this paper molecular biol...
E Sohlberg, H Viitanen


Study of weathering Characteristics in Profiled and Treated Deck Boards
2014 - IRG/WP 14-40680
Wood exposed outdoors to repeated wetting and drying develops surface checks. Excessive checking of wooden deck boards has been a major source of dissatisfaction to consumers. In this study, Southern pine (Pinus sp.) deck boards were machined to flat (control) and ribbed surface profiles. The specimens were treated with aqueous formulations of 4,5-dichloro-2-N-octyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one (EL2) and ...
M Akhtari, D Nicholas, L Sites


Buffered Amine Oxide Treatment Systems for Ammonical Copper Wood Preservatives
2014 - IRG/WP 14-40685
Wood is the most versatile, practical and sustainable building material in the world. In modern countries, wood is a well-managed renewable resource that has a small carbon footprint. Wood does suffer from a lack of durability against invasive organisms such as insects and fungi. Steel, aluminum and composites have emerged as viable alternative building materials. These sectors market the defi...
R W Clawson Jr


Applicability of wood durability testing methods to bio-based building materials
2015 - IRG/WP 15-20561
It is well known that organic materials may be susceptible to attack from a range of fungal organisms and any bio-based material used in locations where there is the possibility of microbiological activity must be expected to be able to withstand or prevent such attack. There are a wide range of test methods and standards in place to test susceptibility although most of these test individual compo...
S F Curling, B K Stefanowski, E Mansour, G A Ormondroyd


Development of a rapid screening method to determine the susceptibility to mould growth of novel construction and insulation products
2015 - IRG/WP 15-20562
Wood-based materials are commonly used in building construction/insulation as a replacement for solid timber. However, these materials are susceptible to microbiological growth and different environmental conditions influence the vulnerability of wood-based materials. Moulds are a common problem found within homes and cause aesthetic damage, health problems and can increase material vulnerability ...
B K Stefanowski, S F Curling, E Mansour, G A Ormondroyd


Performance of bio-based building materials – viewpoints from the first year of COST Action FP1303
2015 - IRG/WP 15-20572
Maintaining and expanding the market potential for bio-based building products in indoor and outdoor construction uses remains a key activity for industries in the forestry and biotechnological sector, particularly in Europe. Whilst there are ongoing activities within IRG for collecting and populating a database on performance on wood, the performance data for many other (i.e. non-wood) "environme...
D Jones


Factors Affecting Performance of Preserved Wood Decking Against Decay Fungi
2015 - IRG/WP 15-30663
Decking is the largest market for residential preserved wood in the United States. Preserved decking must be resistant to colonization by decay fungi initiating from spores, and occasionally from mycelia due to elevated soil levels or adjacent untreated wood. The most vulnerable parts of a preserved wood deck are untreated, or under-treated, wood that becomes exposed by field cuts and checking. Fi...
R Stirling, P I Morris


Biological Performance of Triadimefon in combination with Tebuconazole in laboratory and field tests
2015 - IRG/WP 30668
The usage of Triazole-combinations for wood preservatives is common practice in several countries. Especially the combination of Tebuconazole and Propiconazole is preferred for this application due to its broad spectrum of efficacy against wood destroying fungi. 1-(4-Chlorphenoxy)-3,3-dimethyl-1-(1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)-butanon, also known as Triadimefon provides a good efficacy against the wood destr...
P Meckler, T Jaetsch


Effect of exposure site on metal migration from copper azole, alkaline copper quat or chromated copper arsenate treated southern pine decking
2015 - IRG/WP 15-50313
Metal migration from chromated copper arsenate, copper azole or alkaline copper quaternary compound treated southern pine lumber was assessed at sites in Mississippi and Oregon. Metal levels tended to be consistently higher in decks exposed in Mississippi. Rainfall characteristics did differ slightly at the two sites, but the levels did not appear to be of a magnitude that might affect metal mobi...
J J Morrell, H M Barnes


Evaluating the Effects of Post Dip-Treatment Laser Marking on Resistance to Feeding by Subterranean Termites
2016 - IRG/WP 16-10854
Dip-treatment of wood packing materials is often used instead of pressure treatment mainly because of issues relating to simplicity and cost. Packaging boxes fabricated for the United States Army are required to be dip-treated for at least one minute in an approved preservative solution prior to use. These boxes are expected to have a service life of up to 20 years in a wide variety of environment...
R A Arango, B Woodward, S Lebow


Variation in moisture content in field trials according to use class 3.2 conditions
2016 - IRG/WP 16-20580
Different test methods to determine the durability of wood in use class 3 (EN 335:2013) are available. Fungal degradation of wood requires liquid water. Different Standards (EN 335-1:2006; DIN 68 800:2011) specify the risk for decay with moisture content (mc) of above 20%. EN 335 (2013) does not specify moisture content but rather defined limited wetting conditions (use class 3.1) or prolonged wet...
S Bollmus, A Gellerich, H Militz


Modelling the performance of bio-based building materials
2016 - IRG/WP 16-20582
The ‘bio-based economy’ represents a growing area of development globally and covers a wide range of building materials including wood and wood-based products. A ‘bio-based’ material is intentionally made from substances derived from living (or once-living) organisms. In this context it means that the materials and products are made from renewable resources, with the criteria that a renewa...
C Brischke


Effects of fungal exposure on air and liquid permeability of nanosilver- and nanozincoxide-impregnated Paulownia wood
2016 - IRG/WP 16-30680
Effects of aqueous dispersion of silver and zinc-oxide nano-particles on air and liquid permeability of Paulownia wood exposed to T. versicolor were studied in the present research project. Specimens were also heat-treated at 100 and 150°C and compared with the control specimens. Permeability values were measured when the moisture content of the specimens was 12%. Results showed significant incre...
H R Taghiyari, A Kalantari, M Ghorbani Kookandeh, F Bavaneghi, M Akhtari


The durability of manufactured structural building materials
2016 - IRG/WP 16-40718
The projected market potential for Engineered Wood Products such as CLT (cross laminated timber) is very positive however, potential prolonged rain leakage or moisture exposure during construction and in-service could pose considerable concern for its durability and reputation. This research was conducted to assess the decay resistance of CLT and OSB (oriented strand board) in an accelerated trial...
T Singh, D Page


Fabrication and characterization of MicroPCMs filled wood-plastic composites: Effects of polyethylene glycol on melamine–formaldehyde shell material
2016 - IRG/WP 16-40728
Microencapsulated phase change materials (MicroPCMs) containing dodecanol were fabricated using melamine-formaldehyde (MF) or polyethylene glycol 200 modified melamine-formaldehyde (PMF) resin as the shell materials by in situ polymerization. Wood flour/high-density polyethylene (WF/HDPE) composites with MF shell MicroPCMs (MF-MicroPCMs) or PMF shell MicroPCMs (PMF-MicroPCMs) were prepared, respec...
Xi Guo, Jinzhen Cao


The Environmental Impact of Timber Products Compared to other Building Materials - A Survey of Published Environmental Product Declarations
2016 - IRG/WP 16-50314
One of the positive aspects of using wood in construction is the environmental benefits that this can potentially bring. However, manufacturers of all construction products and materials make claims about the ‘environmental friendliness’ of their products, making it exceedingly difficult for the end user to make informed choices about the advisability of using one product over another. This st...
C Hill, J Dibdiakova


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