Decay Resistance Wood Use around the Farm Farms utilize a lot of wood products on a daily basis. Proper selection and use of wood will help to insure its proper service life and reduce the necessity for replacement. Any wood product exposed to the weather should be properly treated to prevent insect infestation and decay. Pressure treated wood will provide the longest service life, but there are many local species of wood that will provide several years of good service. Decay occurs when organisms such as fungi use wood as a food source.
Fungi require several conditions to survive.
They must have water, the right temperature, oxygen, and food. In these situations, the best way avoid fungi infestation is to poison the food source. This can be done using treated wood, or wood that has extractives in the heartwood, which are toxic to fungi. Pressure treated lumber is the best choice to use when wood is to be exposed to weather in use. When selecting pressure treated material it is important to use the proper treatment for the job.