TimberGuard®
In marine environments, wood piling and timbers are destroyed through decomposition by fungus, bacteria, termites, and other aquatic invertebrates known as marine borers. The consequences range from mild cosmetic damage to a complete loss of structural integrity.
There are three basic preservation methods used to protect wood in the marine environment: chemical treatment with chromated copper arsenate (CCA), pile wrapping, and full encapsulation of the pile.
The least expensive and most common method used today is chemical preservatives; pressure treated wood. Unfortunately, this option is not very effective and is also potentially harmful to the environment. Many local governments have already banned the use of this product in marine environments.
Pile wrapping involves wrapping exposed pile sections with a flexible plastic wrap. This method is commonly used on existing piles and is better than no protection at all. However, it is not a good option for new piles because it only protects the splash zone area of the pile. Additionally, the numerous seams and fasteners are failure points and therefore this method is only a short term solution.
TimberGuard Solution
To solve the problems of the methods discussed above, CMI developed TimberGuard Polymer Encapsulated Wood. A tough polymer sleeve fully encases the treated structural wooden core, keeping the treatment in and the predators out. There are no nails, banding, or seams. The continuous polymer sleeve also reduces the dissolved oxygen level inside the pile, so if any destructive organism did get in, they wouldn't last long.