Woodguard is a long term water repellent, a registered preservative and a clear or tintable finish treatment for exterior wood siding, shake or shingle roofs, fencing and log homes.

Woodguard differs substantially from other wood treatment products currently on the market. In terms of water repellency, Woodguard outlives common water repellents and wax systems because it is absorbed deeply into the wood structure, coating the wood cells where it cures, but never dries in the conventional sense. Water proofing products such as silicone water sealers harden and because wood is a porous flexible material, it bends and flexes with temperature and moisture changes, causing the bond between these hard surface finishes and the wood to give way, enabling water to penetrate. Also clear sealers that cure to a hard finish often are degraded by sunlight. The ultra violet light in sunlight is particularly destructive to these hard finishes and causes thousands of tiny cracks in the surface that let moisture penetrate. Products of this nature obviously must be reapplied frequently to “mend” the “crack”.

Simple wax finish products lose water repellency after several heavy rainstorms wash away the outer layer of wax build-up, and unprotected linseed oil based products can actually encourage mold and mildew growth. Many oil stains contain linseed oil - check the label.

Some exterior wood stains claim to offer water repellency as well as color. These stains are “carried” by either solvent or water (oil or latex) into the wood and again dry and eventually crack, allowing water penetration.

Water repellency is very important in maintaining attractive and functional exterior wood. DRY WOOD DOES NOT DECAY. Unfortunately, it is neither practical, possible, nor desirable to totally waterproof wood for any length of time. A waterproof coating that forms an impervious barrier on wood siding, for instance, will cause the wood to sweat from moisture absorbed from the interior.

Most often this action results in peeling or flaking of the coating which is a “safety” mechanism provided by the wood to throw off the excess moisture which, if allowed to stay in the wood, could cause it to decay from within. Water repellency can be achieved by using Woodguard or continually recoating with one of the other products aforementioned. But it is still jy important to have a “back-up” system against decay for those times when moisture is in the wood.

There are many chemicals that can be added to water or solvent borne systems to aid in the control of decay which often begins as mere surface mold or mildew. Tributyl tin oxide is one such popular preservative ingredient. It is comparatively low in effectiveness, has a foul odor and is toxic. IPBC is very effective against mold and mildew, but has no effect on insects. Borates, on the other hand, are quite effective against some decay organisms insects, but they leach out of the wood if left exposed to sun and water.

Woodguard utilizes an active ingredient that is the exception: Copper 8-quino-linolate. “Copper 8” does not breakdown in sunlight (photodegrade). Once applied to wood, it molecularly bonds into the wood and remains intact to combat mold, mildew, insect activity and eventual decay and rot. ADDITIONALLY, Woodguard’s active ingredient exhibits extremely low toxicity to humans, i.e., it is safe to use as directed. Woodguard contains neither water nor solvent to harden or crack the finish. Woodguard preserves the wood against decay, offers long term water repellency and provides semi-transparent color if desired. Woodguard can be brushed, sprayed or rolled and all equipment cleans up with detergent and water.

Woodguard is ideal for exterior use on log homes, rough sawn siding, and shake and shingle roofing. Should you have additional questions or require technical literature, please call our Customer Service Dept. at
1-800-238-2523.