Treated wood transition a done deal Switch easier Ior some than others

By Huck DeVenzio Arch Wood Protection

ALTHOUGH some dealers still flquestion the need for the preservative transition and others are wrestling with customer concerns over proper hardware, nearly all lumber dealers have now settled into providing "next generation" preserved wood. The difficulty of their transitions seems to have depended on their customer bases and on when they switched.

Interviews with three far-flung managers-a dealer in North Carolina, a wholesaler from Texas, and a California dealer-point out some of the issues they had to handle. All agree that now it is essentially busi- ness as usual.

The last day for production of CCA-treated wood for non-industrial uses was December 30. 2003. Some dealers carried CCA-treated wood for as long as they could, stretching their inventories through the spring of 2004. Others, especially those with customers who built playground equipment or who faced concerns about CCA, switched to copper azole or alkaline copper quaternary products well before the production deadline.

Mark Schwartz is president of Brooks Building Products, a centuryold contractor-oriented dealer with yards in Greensboro and Raleigh, N.C.

He said he did not over-inventory CCA-treated wood as the deadline approached, nor did he attempt to create demand for next-generation preserved wood. Instead, he tried to keep his customers informed about the changes that were coming by means of seminars and meetings, and let the transition happen naturally.

"As we depleted our SKUs of wood treated with CCA," Schwartz said, "we replaced them with wood treated with copper azole." There were early objections to the higher price of the new product, especially among production builders who were locked into prices with their customers. But, Schwartz said, he worked with those customers and the price issue was short-lived.

Customer education was an objective of Ron Hilliard, president of Fry Wholesale near Dallas, but he reported that most customers had little interest until CCA-treated wood was gone.

"We first offered next-generation material in early 2003, but we couldn't give it away," Hilliard remembered. "Our customers were happy with CCA and wanted to stay with it." So, at the end of 2003, he stocked as much CCA-treated wood as he could afford. When the CCA was gone, previously apathetic customers became very interested, expressing concerns about both the performance and price of the new preserved lumber. However, the warranty on the new product calmed fears of reduced longevity, and price objections faded away.

The introduction was different for Truitt & White in California's Bay Area. Judi Ettlinger said that her company made the switch in January of

2001, long before deadlines came into effect. Truitt & White's treated wood is primarily Douglas fir, used to support decking of various types and for mudsills.

Truitt & White had been promoting green building products, and felt that the copper-based preservatives fit well with the preferences of its customers, who are keenly aware of chemical issues. The new product was launched with a front-page story in the company newsletter, a contractor breakfast, and a Deck Product Day. This was fol- ucts and provide superior alternatives. We wanted to be ahead of the curve on treated wood." lowed by radio advertising. Staff personnel attended product knowledge sessions.

When asked about hardware used in contact with next-generation treated wood, all three noted ongoing confusion among their customers and the need for informing them.

Ettlinger said that some contractors remain confused and worried about projects they built before the current recommendations became so widely known. Truitt & White's upcoming newsletter is featuring an article on proper hardware.

Schwartz agreed, saying that the questions keep coming, not only from contractors but also from code officials. He cites the manufacturers' literature and efforts by groups such as the Southern Pine Council for providing guidance on hardware.

"Our customers accepted the new treated lumber readily," said Ettlinger. "They trust us to research new prod-

And, though there is still discussion about corrosion of hardware, Hilliard thinks it may be overblown. "If contractors and do-it-yourselfers follow the recommendations, their hardware will be fine," he said. As a distributor, Hilliard sees Fry Wholesale as an information center for dealers. Part of that role involves passing along the hardware recommendations.

CCA-treated wood was common in building material outlets for 30 years; the copper-based products have been available from many dealers for less than one year. It is not surprising that some people are unclear about suitable flashing or different retention levels or acceptable applications, but treaters, dealers, and contractors seem to have navigated the preservative transition with little bruising. Now they are focusing on traditional concerns, like hiring reliable employees and beating the competition.