Flakeboards from recycled CCA-treated southern pine lumber

Large volumes of nonbiodegradable preservative-treated demolition wood must be disposed of in the near and distant future. Landfilling presents long-term problems, and burning is not acceptable, except in certified incinerators, because combustion products contain toxic chemicals. Recycling of treated wood into flakeboards suitable for siding, sheathing, and flooring for high decay-hazard applications may be practicable and a lower cost alternative to disposal in the environment. In this study, flakeboards were made of ring-cut flakes from recycled southern pine lumber that had been treated with chromated copper arsenate (CCA). Flakes were bonded with a liquid phenol-formaldehyde resin. The preservative treatment lowered all property values substantially below those of untreated flakeboards. However, physical and mechanical properties of CCA-treated flakeboards were enhanced by spraying flakes with a 5 percent solids aqueous solution of hydroxymethylated resorcinol primer just before spraying and blending of the resin.