Pressure Treated
Over 70 years ago, Dr. Karl Wolman invented the process of infusing preservative deeply into wood products. Today, a giant industry has grown up around his quest to invent a wood that can last forever.
Pressure treating is a process that forces a chemical preservative deep into the wood. The wood product is placed into a humongous cylindrical holding tank, and the tank is depressurized to remove all air. The tank is then filled with the preservative under high pressure, forcing it deeply into the wood. The tank is then drained and the remaining preservative reused. The wood is removed from the tank and prepared for shipment to your local lumberyard.
Needless to say, this process makes the wood quite unappetizing to all vermin, insects, and fungus, which accounts for its 20 year plus lifespan under the harshest conditions!
Yet, there is much misinformation, and, in some cases, disinformation concerning pressure-treated wood, its maintenance requirements, and its safety in common use. Let’s explore the story of pressure-treated wood, and together seek out the truth.
