Wood Durability, Protection, and Preservafion

.\\ `\\*1 leas three shortcomings that tend to limit sauctural UNC: (1) it is subject to
detertora-"" wc3thenno. and by attack of various or-,:anisnv, (21 it is combustible,
and (3) it is sub-iect to swelling and shrinking, let, in spite of these shortcomings,
properly designed wood structures can he as long-lived as either steel-frame or
minforced-concrete structures, can resist lire better than unpro-tec ted steel
structures, and can accommodate the selling and shrinkage without distress. As is
true for each of the materials (wood, struc-tural steel, or mintOrced concrete), to
ensure successful performance and long life of the N1111:101V requims that the
designer understand the behavior of the material and plan so as to as oid problems
that its properties may raise. Vhc builder also has an important role in that success,
and so does the final user, s The first requirement in learning to design tor best
permanence and durability in any ma-terial is to identify the problems: In the case
of sssod, this means to identify the various agents of destruction.

It 1, CAUSES OF DETERIORATION

Borrowing items from the science of physical geology, wood deterioration might be
divided into two classes: decomposition, in which the chemical makeup is affected;
and disintegration, in which the wood is merely broken apart physically but not
changed chemically. Of course, both types can occur together.

Decomposition of wood is brought about by the action of bacteria, fungi, molds,

chemicals or fire. These may affect the wood while still in the tree, during lumber
production and storage, or after it is installed in the structure. Decomposition may
result in structural weakening changes of the wood. The common causes of
disintegration are insects, marine borers, interaction of treated wood with metals,
and weathering. Disintegration almost always weakens the wood. Mechanical
damage by abrasion during normal use might be considered to be a human caused
type of disintegration.

Microorganisms Affecting Wood

Four classes of microorganism affecting wood are wood-destroying fungi, wood-

staining fungi, molds, and bacteria. The first class is the most important from a
structural-strength standpoint. The wood-destroying fungi feed on materials in the
cell walls. Thus, they destroy the cell walls and drastically reduce all strength
properties of the wood. The resulting damage, called decay, can occur at any time:
in the live tree, in the forest after the tree is cut, during processing and storage of
the lumber, or in the completed structure. It is reasonable to assume that all wood
at sonic time or another has been infected with the spores of these fungi. All that is
necessary I cause the wood to decay is to provide the coll. ditions necessary for
these spores to grw_ Conversely, to Prevew y, all that is necessary these spores
from growing into fungi that Will