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David Axt, AIA, CCS, CSI
Senior Member
Username: david_axt

Post Number: 1279
Registered: 03-2002


Posted on Wednesday, January 04, 2012 - 04:58 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

What can you tell me about Timbersil preservative treated Southern Yellow Pine?
anon (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
Posted on Wednesday, January 04, 2012 - 05:14 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

If exposed, Timbersil will eventaully leach out and render your lumber unprotected. It's salt. Water soluable. Sales reps do a lot of side stepping and double talking, but there is now way around the fact that salt applied to wood exposed to the exterior will eventually leach out. I dug into this in considerable detail some years ago and found independent research studies verifying that salt-based preservative treated lumber exposed to weather never lasts long, despite manufacturers claims to the contrary.

If meant for use in a protected application (sill plates, for example), then this is an excellent choice.

what is the importantance of indicating the species? I don't see that as relevant.
Phil Kabza
Senior Member
Username: phil_kabza

Post Number: 495
Registered: 12-2002


Posted on Wednesday, January 04, 2012 - 05:51 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

Anon's comments above are counter to the information available on the TimberSil website. TimberSil claims to be a silicate-infused wood product (with some unfortunately florid marketing language about "glass wood fusion"). The MSDS does not indicate any salt, and the leachate data on the MSDS does not support Anon's claims. The website information states that normal exterior exposure fasteners and hardware may be used, which would not be true if TimberSil utilized salt in its process. So I am curious where the salt claim originates.

I cannot find enough information about what TimberSil is from the website in order to be able to specify it with confidence. The manufacturer would be wise to obtain an ICC-ESR and also to publish performance data based upon newer ASTM standards editions. Plus invest in some downloadable guide specs and tech data sheets. And maybe lose the "glass wood" stuff - at least when talking to specifiers.
Mark Gilligan SE,
Senior Member
Username: mark_gilligan

Post Number: 439
Registered: 10-2007
Posted on Wednesday, January 04, 2012 - 06:06 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

When dealing with treated lumber the gold standard is the AWPA standards that the code references.

In the absence of the product being addressed by AWPA an evaluation report is only a professional opinion regarding code compliance. How much you can rely upon this professional opinion depends on the knowledge of the individual who prepared the opinion.
anon (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
Posted on Wednesday, January 04, 2012 - 05:53 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

And I stand corrected, thanks Phil.

My comments were in reference to what I thought Timbersil was - a borate preservative treatment. It is not.

I found this to be an excellent source of information on this product, and learned something today!

http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/9172/timbersil-decking
Catherine Bradshaw (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
Posted on Thursday, June 06, 2013 - 07:53 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

Can anyone tell me if Timbersil would be appropriate for vegetable garden beds, or if the pressure treatment poses any danger of chemical leaching.
Thanks.
Rafaelo (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
Posted on Thursday, October 24, 2013 - 01:50 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

Sadly, it appears Timbersil does not live up to its hype. The following article discusses problems with decking, and with garden beds. The problem is not leaching. The problem is warping and rotting. Apparently a University of Oregon study concluded Timbersil is only slightly more rot resistant than untreated pine, which is to say--it rots. http://www.gazettenet.com/news/7882121-95/special-report-summit-house-projects-woes-linked-to-wood-choice
CHalunen (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
Posted on Friday, January 17, 2014 - 01:08 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

The class action law firm Halunen & Associates is investigating defective TimberSIL glass-infused wood products. These products are vulnerable to warping, rotting, and paint adhesion failure. If you have experienced any of these problems, please contact us at: http://consumer.halunenlaw.com/contact-us/ or call (612) 605-4098. [Advertising Material]

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