Using C2 Guard is like putting a protective layer of bark back onto a piece of milled lumber, thereby protecting andfortifying it from elements like water. The particle size of commonly used waterproofing and stain products is too large to penetrate the surface of mostwoods, even soft woods, but especially very dense hardwoods. Other stains and wood preservatives essentially siton the surface, providing little more than a temporary topical barrier. C2 Guard breaks the surface tension andallows the nano particles to fall through the surface, deep into the pore structure of the wood, filling up hollowedcell walls that exist at the deepest levels. Once absorbed, a bond occurs, forming a flexible co-polymer barrier fromwithin the substrate that becomes part of the ongoing cellular structure. This barrier stops water intrusioncompletely, yet allows moisture and vapors to escape, preventing the effects of mold and mildew, dry rot,cracking, peeling and cupping of wood.