Ammonium bifluoride treatment of air-seasoning Douglas-fir poles

In the Pacific Northwest, freshly peeled Douglas-fir poles are often air-seasoned for 6 to 24 months before preservative treatment. During this period, the wood is susceptible to colonization by decay fungi. Although these fungi have little effect on wood properties over the first 2 years, their presence places added importance on adequate sterilization during treatment. The ability of ammonium bifluoride (ABF) to limit fungal colonization was evaluated by flooding pole sections with saturated solutions of ABF before air-seasoning them for 1, 2, or 3 years at sites in Oroville, Calif.; Eugene, Oreg.; Scappoose, Oreg.; and Arlington, Wash. Each year, selected poles were destructively sampled to determine levels of fungal colonization. The results indicate that ABF substantially reduced those levels, especially at the drier, southernmost site. ABF treatment can reduce, but not eliminate, the risk of fungal colonization during air-seasoning.

You must be logged in to download any documents. Please login (login accounts are free) or learn how to Become a Member