DURABILITY OF SELECTED MALAYSIAN WOOD TREATED WITH DISODIUM OCTABORATE TETRAHYDRATE USED UNDER HAZARD CLASS 2 CONDITION.

Boron-based wood preservative is currently widely used in non-structural products such as furniture and window skirting. Disodium octaborate tetrahydrate (DOT) is a boron-based formulation used as wood preservative. This study evaluated the relative ability of various concentrations of DOT in improving the durability of selected Malaysian timber species (Hopea sp., Irvingia malayana, Cynometra sp. and Hevea brasiliensis) in order to fulfil hazard class 2 (H2) condition. DOT-treated wood were tested in accelerated laboratory tests against subterranean termite (Coptotermus curvignathus) for 4 weeks and decay fungi (Lentinus sajor-caju and Coriolus versicolor) for 16 weeks. The results indicated that DOT improved the durability of all timber species tested against termite and white-rot fungi for use under H2 condition. DOT was easily impregnated into the wood using pressure treatment processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]