Preserving of wood has been around for almost as long as the use of wood itself. There are records of wood preservation going back to ancient Greece, during Alexander the great's rule, where bridge wood was soaked in olive oil. The Romans protected their ship hulls by brushing the wood with tar.

During the Industrial Revolution, wood treatment and preservation became a standard of the wood processing industry. Inventors and scientists such as Bethell, Boucherie, Burnett and Kyan made historic developments in wood preservation, with the preservative solutions and processes.

Commercial pressure treatment began in the latter half of the 19th century with the protection of railroad crossties using creosote. Treated wood was used primarily for industrial, agricultural, and utility applications, where it is still used, until it's use grew considerably (at least in the United States) in the 1970's as homeowners began building decks and backyard projects.

Innovation in treated timber products continues to this day, with consumers becoming more interested in less toxic materials. Today we see more and more chemical companies, like Arch Chemical and other leading companies learn as much as possible to the environmentally friendly solutions to preserve wood, and also preserve the environment at the same time. It will be very interesting to see the products that will evolve because of these needs.

Maybe we will find ourselves back doing what the early civilizations were doing, using some kind of natural oil mixtures that make the flowers grow!!

Have a wonderful day!