Natural Durability and Improving Treatments of Pinus caribaea Morelet Wood Thailand | 24/04/2024

by Suwanna Umphauk, Pongsak Chattecha, Somchai Nongneung, Yuwadee Kaewmanee and Rachen Patprasong
Fotrest Research and Development Bureau, Royal Forest Department, Bangkok 10900

ABSTRACT
To study on durability improvement of Pinus caribaea Morelet, the 35 years of P. caribaea wood logs from Haui Bong plantation, Chiangmai province, were cut, air-dried and sawn to specific sizes prior to treating with 8 wood preservatives, namely ; 1) Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA), 2) Ammonical Copper Quaternary (ACQ), 3) Copper Azole (CA-B), 4) Disodium Octaborate Tetrahydrate (DOT), 5) Wood vinegar (WVG), 6) Permethrin (PMT) , 7) Zinc naphthenate (ZNT) + Permethrin (PMT), and 8) Chatchew Nut Shield Liquid (CNSL) by using dipping, soaking , brushing and vacuum-pressure method. The treated wood specimens were evaluated for their durability with different conditions in Chiangmai province. Results revealed that the untreated P. caribaea wood, as control, was classified as non-durable and susceptible to attack by destroying termite and fungi, in both grave yard and above ground tests. Comparison to vacuum-pressure treatment CCA ACQ and CA-B, they showed best performance in protecting wood in grave yard test. Moreover, they could improve durability level of treated wood specimens from non-durable to durable level in above-ground condition. PMT and ZNT+ PMT mixture, even though, they presented lower efficiency than CCA ACQ and CA-B, they could display better capability to protect wood than DOT and WVG. For CNSL, it exhibited worst performance to preserve P. caribaea wood in all of testing conditions.