Pressure treated wood helps conserve our Canadian forests.

Today, every tree must count. Our forests are being called upon to produce ever-increasing volumes of products in response to our needs.

Here in Canada, if wood is to be a vital, renewable resource for future generations, our forests must be soundly managed. There are, after all, very few substitutes for wood, one of man's most versatile building materials. It is economical, plentiful and prized for its warmth, beauty, strength and workability.

One of the best and most effective ways to help conserve Canadian forests is to use the wood we harvest wisely – and to make sure it lasts. Extending the service life of wood by pressure treating means fewer trees will have to be cut down.

Pressure treated wood helps to conserve our forest resource by ensuring that wood lasts longer in situations where termite and fungal decay hazards are high. By pressure treating wood destined for outdoor applications, Canada saves a forest the size of Prince Edward Island from harvest every year, simply by extending the service life of the pressure treated wood used. In some cases, such as railway trestle bridges in the Rocky Mountains, pressure treated wood has lasted more than 70 years under harsh conditions and heavy-duty loads. All wood preservatives and processes are subject to strict government regulation and environmental safety controls.

It’s a fact. Pressure treated wood saves trees.

There are precious few substitutes for wood, one of our most valued, versatile building materials. Wood is economical and plentiful, prized for its warmth, its beauty, strength and workability. Wood will remain a vital, renewable resource only if our forests are soundly managed. The wood we harvest must be wisely used. And it must be made to last. Today, every tree must count.

Extending the life of the wood we use means we'll cut down fewer trees. Wood has natural enemies. Preyed upon by fungi, insects and millions of microorganisms, wood is susceptible to rot and decay. It's especially true wherever wood comes in contact with the ground or water. But modern technology has developed ways of protecting wood from its natural predators, injecting it with preservatives which are retained in the wood cells. The process, known as pressure treatment, renders wood useless as food for fungi and insects, ensuring wood's structural soundness and extending its useful service life.

Pressure treated lumber will last many times longer than untreated lumber. During the pressure treating process, chemical preservatives are forced into the wood cells. By depositing the preservatives into the cellular structure of the wood, the useful service life is significantly increased over that of untreated wood. These preservatives are highly leach-resistant. The pressure treatment process does not alter wood's essential characteristics. Treated lumber will not shrink, swell, check, split or warp to any greater degree than will the same species left untreated. It simply lasts longer and remains stronger; an ideal construction material.

Pressure treated wood not only helps conserve our forests - each year it saves consumers millions of dollars. Pressure treated wood is used primarily outdoors and has dozens of industrial applications, from docks and marinas to railway ties, utility poles, piling, bridges, highway guardrail posts and even roller coasters. It's used in landscape architecture for erosion control of beaches. Around the home, treated wood is used for decks, fences, gazebos, playground equipment and outdoor lighting fixtures. It may also be used for certain indoor applications where building codes require treated wood.

It takes approximately three 45 year old trees to build a backyard deck. Say you'd like to build a jack pine, backyard deck. That calls for two or three trees, each at least 45 years old. Working with untreated lumber, you'll need to replace your deck every few years. But if you build with properly pressure treated lumber, your deck will be strong and attractive for up to 50 years. You'll save thousands of dollars on upkeep, leave many trees uncut – and enjoy your deck that much more!