Protecting the integrity of freshly sawn timber
- Varying temperatures and humidity during transition seasons heightens the risk of surface mould on freshly sawn timber.
- To protect the commercial value of the timber, it is crucial that a short-term preventative treatment is applied during transition seasons.
- AntibluĀ® 375 provides safe, effective and cost-effective short-term protection during storage and transit to domestic and export markets.
Protecting the integrity of freshly sawn timber and logs is a constant concern for sawmills, which requires even more attention during transition seasons. Varying temperatures and humidity during the autumn months of March and April, provide ideal conditions for sap staining fungi and mould to thrive, thus increasing the risk of surface mould.
Infected timber is unacceptable for many end uses, representing a huge financial loss. To protect the commercial value, every precaution taken during storage in the yard will help to produce the highest-graded timber possible.
Precautions to take during transition seasons
Managing the moisture content of commercial timber is already a tedious process, even before considering the unpredictability of seasonal transitions. Timber that has been tightly packed for delivery is susceptible to conditions such as heat, humidity and rain which contribute towards a moist environment that is perfect for mould-growing. Even kiln-dried timber is not exempt from mould growth if it becomes wet again.
It is therefore crucial that a short-term preventative treatment, is applied during transition seasons – being autumn from March to May and spring from September to November in South Africa.
AntibluĀ® 375 ā providing short-term protection to timber
AntibluĀ® 375 is an easy to apply anti-sapstain treatment that provides cost effective protection for freshly sawn timbers. The easy-to-use formulation, manufactured by Arxada, mixes readily with water and is applied to clean timber by using either a spray application or dip diffusion. The active ingredient is a Copper-8-Quinolinolate compound, which rapidly fixes to the timber to provide fungicidal protection. It is suitable for use on products destined for either the domestic or export markets and is not intended for the long-term preservation of wood in the end-use situation.
AntibluĀ® 375 produces the best results
GFT Saagmeule has been manufacturing wooden pallets in the Eastern Cape since 2018. The humid subtropical climate experienced in this coastal region led to the company trying a variety of short-term preventative treatment products to prevent mould growth in the freshly sawn timber. According to Maria Goncalves, owner of GFT Saagmeule, AntibluĀ® 375 produces the best results.
āApplying a dip-diffusion treatment of AntibluĀ® 375, prior to heat treatment, gives us an approximate three-week window before any mould is detected again. Without this treatment to our pallets, we stand the risk of export products being returned by the harbour resulting in financial loss for our customers and reputational damage to our company,ā said Goncalves.
For more information on AntibluĀ® 375, contact wood.sa@arxada.com
Source: Arxada