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Commodity Specification Tables
Click here to view Tables 4-10, preservative and retention specifications by Southern Pine end-use commodity.
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AWPA Use Category System
The American Wood Protection Association's Use Category
System (UCS) establishes six major exposure conditions that
wood products are subjected to in service. The UCS helps users
identify the exposure condition for specific products and end-use
environments, and then specify the acceptable preservatives
and retention levels necessary for that application.
Specifiers should become familiar with the Service Conditions
for Use Category Designations (Table 2). Commodity
Specifications (Table 3) designate the general classification
of treated wood commodities.
Treated wood must meet minimum requirements for preservative
penetration and retention for use in a particular service
condition. Penetration refers to the depth a preservative must
permeate into the wood fiber during the pressure-treating
process. Retention levels refer to the amount of preservative
that remains in the wood after the pressure-treating process is
complete. Retentions are expressed in pounds of preservative
per cubic foot of wood fiber; the higher the number, the harsher
the condition to which the wood may be exposed.
Commodity Specification Tables 4-10 summarize
approved preservatives and retentions for treated Southern
Pine by end-use or application, and exposure condition. When
purchasing treated Southern Pine under the Use Category System,
material orders should include the Use Category designation
(Table 2), general Commodity Specification (Table 3), and
specific end-use and preservative and retention level (Tables 4-10), and any special requirements such as pre- or post-treatment
preparations (including conditioning and drying). See
specification example.
Use
Category |
Service
Conditions |
Use
Environment |
Common Agents of
Deterioration |
Typical
Applications |
| UC1 |
Interior construction Above ground Dry |
Continuously protected from weather or other sources of moisture |
Insects only |
Interior construction and furnishings |
| UC2 |
Interior construction Above ground Damp |
Protected from weather, but may be subject to sources of moisture |
Decay fungi and insects |
Interior construction |
| UC3A |
Exterior construction Above ground Coated and rapid water run-off |
Exposed to all weather cycles, not exposed to prolonged wetting |
Decay fungi and insects |
Coated millwork, siding and trim |
| UC3B |
Exterior construction Above ground Uncoated or poor water run-off |
Exposed to all weather cycles, including prolonged wetting |
Decay fungi and insects |
Decking, deck joists, railings, fence pickets, uncoated millwork |
| UC4A |
Ground contact or fresh water Non-critical components |
Exposed to all weather cycles, normal exposure conditions |
Decay fungi and insects |
Fence, deck, and guardrail posts, crossties and utility poles (low decay areas) |
| UC4B |
Ground contact or fresh water Critical components or difficult replacement |
Exposed to all weather cycles, high decay potential, includes salt water splash |
Decay fungi and insects with increased potential for biodeterioration |
Permanent wood foundations, building poles, horticultural posts, crossties and utility poles (high decay areas) |
| UC4C |
Ground contact or fresh water Critical structural components |
Exposed to all weather cycles, severe environments, extreme decay potential |
Decay fungi and insects with extreme potential for biodeterioration |
Land and fresh water piling, foundation piling, crossties and utility poles (severe decay areas) |
| UC5A |
Salt or brackish water and adjacent mud zone Northern waters |
Continuous marine exposure (salt water) |
Salt water organisms |
Piling, bulkheads, bracing |
| UC5B |
Salt or brackish water and adjacent mud zone NJ to GA, south of SanFran |
Continuous marine exposure (salt water) |
Salt water organisms, including creosote tolerant, Limnoria tripunctata |
Piling, bulkheads, bracing |
| UC5C |
Salt or brackish water and adjacent mud zone South of GA, Gulf Coast, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico |
Continuous marine exposure (salt water) |
Salt water organisms, including Martesia, Sphaeroma |
Piling, bulkheads, bracing |
| UCFA |
Fire protection as required by codes Above ground Interior construction |
Continuously protected from weather or other sources of moisture |
Fire |
Roof sheathing, roof trusses, studs, joists, paneling |
| UCFB |
Fire protection as required by codes Above ground Exterior construction |
Subject to wetting |
Fire |
Vertical exterior walls, inclined roof surfaces or other construction which allows water to quickly drain |
NOTE: Table 2 is excerpted from the AWPA Book of Standards, 2007 Edition, Section 2, Service Conditions for Use Category Designations.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J |
Sawn Products
Permanent Wood Foundation (PWF)
Posts
Playground Material
Round Building Poles
Crossties and Switchties
Poles
Round Timber Piling
Wood Composites
Marine (Salt Water) Applications
Fire Retardants
Non-Pressure Applications
Barrier Protection Systems |
| View Preservative & Retention Tables Here |
NOTES:
Major classifications of treated wood commodities (A-J) displayed in Table 3 are excerpted from the AWPA Book of Standards, Section 6, Commodity Specifications. Section 6 provides detailed information on listed preservative systems and allowable wood species applicable for each service condition.
Specifications and guidance for preservative-treated commodities listed under Commodity Specification H, I and J are not included in Southern Pine Council publications due to their specialized applications and/or proprietary preservative systems. Southern Pine Council recommends end-users contact manufacturers of the preservative systems and/or commodities approved under these particular specifications (H, I, J) to determine performance and applicability to their project requirements.
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Commodity Standard Deleted
The AWPA Use Category System was introduced in 1999 as a user-friendly
format to eventually replace the Commodity (or "C") Standard for treatment
specification. The Commodity Standard was deleted from the AWPA Book of
Standards beginning with the 2005 Edition. Commodity Standards pertaining
specifically to Southern Pine are displayed below for historical context,
and their continued influence on certain specifications. For example, the
"C" Standards in the AWPA Book of Standards, 2001 Edition, were used as the
basis for determining which categories of CCA-treated commodities would
be phased out of consumer use as of 2004.
COMMODITY STANDARDS: C1 — All Timber Products — Preservative Treatment by Pressure Processes; C2 — Lumber, Timber,
Bridge Ties and Mine Ties; C3 — Piles; C4 —Poles; C5 — Fence Posts; C6 — Crossties and Switch Ties; C9 — Plywood;
C11 — Wood Blocks for Floors and Platforms; C14 — Wood for Highway Construction; C15 — Wood for Commercial — Residential
Construction; C16 — Wood Used on Farms; C17 — Playground Equipment; C18 — Marine Construction; C20 — Structural Lumber:
Fire Retardant Treatment by Pressure Processes; C22 — Permanent Wood Foundations, C 23 — Round Poles and Posts used for
Building Construction; C24 — Sawn Timber used to Support Residential and Commercial Structures; C25 — Sawn Crossarms;
C27 — Plywood Fire Retardant Treatment by Pressure Processes; C28 — Glued Laminated Members; C29 — Lumber and Plywood to
be used for the Harvesting, Storage and Transportation of Food Stuffs; C30 — Lumber, Timbers and Plywood for Cooling Towers;
C31 — Lumber used Out of Contact with the Ground and Continuously Protected from Liquid Water; C32 — Glue Laminated Poles;
C33 — Structural Composite Lumber; C34 — Shakes and Shingles
Specification Example:
Treated sawn-lumber joists supporting an outdoor deck |
1 — Use Category: UC3B
(from Table 2: Exterior Construction, Above Ground Uncoated or poor water run-off Service Conditions. Typical Applications include deck joists)
2 — General Commodity Classification and Specification Section in the AWPA Book of Standards
Sawn Products – A (from Table 3)
3 — Specific Commodity Classification: Joists
(from Table 4: Commodity – Joists, Use – Building Construction, Exposure – Above Ground, Exterior)
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4 — Species: Southern Pine
Preservatives and retention levels: Copper Quat (ACQ, Micronized Copper) to .25 pcf or Copper Azole (CA-B) to .10 pcf
(from Table 4: Above Ground, Exterior)
5 — Special Requirements: None
(such as pre- or post-treatment preparations, including conditioning and drying such as Kiln Dried After Treatment, KDAT)
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