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Step 1:
Inspection tools for sampling treated wood include a hollow bit called an increment borer, a cutting block to section
the sample cores to the appropriate length for analysis, and small wooden pegs that are hammered into the small test
holes left after removal of cores.
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Step 2:
An inspector drills random pieces of treated lumber with the increment borer to remove small test cores.
Material is chosen by SPIB inspectors to represent a manufacturer's production since the last inspection.
SPIB, as a third-party inspection agency, monitors on a monthly basis treated lumber production that is marked with the SPIB logo.
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Step 3:
Test cores are removed from the hollow increment borer after drilling to the proper depth. Treatment standards developed by the
American Wood-Preservers' Association (AWPA) specify the depths for test cores depending on the end-use of the lumber, the lumber size,
and the species.
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Step 4:
Prior to cutting the cores for analysis testing, indicating solutions are applied to identify any heartwood portions of
the cores and to reveal the depth of penetration by the preservative into the wood.
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Step 4b:
After the field inspection for depth of preservative penetration is completed, the test cores are then sectioned to the proper
assay zone for lab analysis and mailed to the SPIB Quality Assurance Laboratory in Pensacola. The cores for each sample are
ground to pass through a 30-mesh sieve and the composite sawdust becomes the analysis sample.
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Step 5:
Various analysis methods, such as X-ray fluorescence, gas chromatography, visual titration, etc, are employed to determine the
quantity of preservative present in the test sample. Each end-use of treated lumber and preservative type requires a specific
minimum quantity of preservative in order to provide satisfactory service life. These criteria again are established by the AWPA.
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