KOPPERS CELCURE THE DURABLE CHOICE FOR GARDEN TIMBER PROJECTS

Pressure treated timber has long been used in garden landscaping and residential construction, from house beams and fencing to patios and decking.

Renowned for its ability to fend off decay, it is ideal for high moisture and ground contact installations and is insect and rot resistant, meaning it can last for years with little maintenance.

Koppers Celcure is one of the market choices for timber preservative and demand is being driven by a wide variety of changes both inside and outside the fencing and landscaping industry.

Why is there an increased demand for pressure treated timber projects?

Research has shown that during the pandemic, consumers increased their spend on garden landscaping through the increased use of organic timber-based products such as pergolas, which saw an 82% increase in interest from five years ago. This has increased the focus on timber preservatives such as Celcure as end users demanded longer lasting results for their timber.

It isn’t just lifestyle changes driving this demand, however. Changing climates mean that hotter summers and increasing rainfall are testing the quality of timber treatments and increasing demand from end users that the best treatments are used, making it a more competitive market than ever before.

Why is maintenance required on pressure treated timber projects?

Pressure treated timber products help protect timber from fungal decay and insect attack. However, moisture, sun, and outdoor conditions may cause the timber project to show signs of weathering. Regular maintenance will minimise these signs of natural weathering, such as raised grain, splitting, checking, twisting and warping, which all occurs when timber is untreated.

To help reduce the effects of natural weathering, the use of a clear water repellent coating or a semi-transparent water repellent coating product is recommended and both agricultural and domestic garden fencing and their posts are typically pressure treated with a service life of around 15 years. Making sure that the posts are prepared and treated properly is essential if they are to last this long.

Why choose Koppers Celcure timber preservative to treat timber projects?

Protecting timber for over 50 years, leading global producer of timber treatment products, Koppers Celcure timber preservative is a waterborne, alkaline copper quaternary preservative system developed to provide long-term protection of timber exposed in interior and exterior applications. The Celcure preservative system is based on the well-established effectiveness of copper combined with an organic quaternary compound and is applied to timber by pressure treatment.

Celcure treated timber is available for the following use classes: UC1 – UC3 above ground, UC4 ground contact and fresh water contact. Celcure products are not currently approved for saltwater immersion applications.
Celcure treated timber, meets all major building code requirements. Installation must comply with the requirements of all applicable local and national building codes.

Paul Cave, UK Sales Director at Koppers discusses the risks of insufficient chemical treatment in treated timber and why end users should prioritise quality treatment.

He said: “Treated timber allows us to maximise the environmental and sustainable potential of constructing with wood, so correctly treated timber products are crucial to helping longevity of structures by offering protection against decay, insect infestation and weathering. This is so important given the increasing focus on timber solutions from changing end user demand, yet the environmental challenges are increasing with this demand.

“The risk of this is that insufficient treatment leaves timber vulnerable to decay caused by fungi or rot. This compromises the durability of the wood, posing a risk to the structural integrity of the entire construction project.
“In my experience and personal perspective, prioritising the appropriate chemical treatment of timber is paramount to ensure safety, durability, and cost-effectiveness in construction projects.”

When timber is not adequately protected wood-boring insects, rot, decay and weathering can cause significant damage. This can weaken the structure and create potential safety hazards.

Koppers approach of developing Celcure a comprehensive range of innovative high pressure timber preservative systems means timber professionals and end users can optimise their treatment process through the adoption of the most appropriate solution for their projects.

For more information on Koppers and Celcure visit www.kopperspc.eu/celcure