Deck Waterproofing | Wood Coating | Deck Coatings

What Exactly Is CCA?

CCA is an abbreviation for Chromated Copper Arsenate. CCA was once commonly used to preserve pressure treated wood and has since become the subject of several controversial studies and news articles - see our CCA reports page. It is also one of the main reasons so many people have applied playground and deck coatings recently.

CCA presents a potentially serious danger to people who come in contact with the chemical on a regular basis. Some other wood preservatives that exist can also be harmful, yet they are not as news worthy because they do not have the reputation that CCA does.

It's time to protect your friends and family with EPL Outdoor Wood Coating.

What Is CCA's Role In Outdoor Wood?

Two types of wood are found in an outdoor setting - the most common is soft wood pine, which is pressure-treated with CCA. This type of wood has proven for decades that it can protect itself from structural degradation, decay and bug attacks. However, what this wood does not protect itself against is water and sun induced damage to the surface. EPL Wood Coating easily repairs these tricky surface problems, as it eliminates splinters and keeps water from reaching the actual wood - there's no better solution than EPL for all playground or deck waterproofing projects.

EPL also provides protection against direct human contact with the harmful chemicals used during the pressure treatment of pine pressure-treated wood. The government required a change in 2003 aimed at eliminating arsenic and chromate from this pressure treatment pesticide mix.

Since then, ACQ (alkaline copper quaternary) has become the most common chemical used during pressure treatment. This new pesticide added to the mix dramatically increased the copper but was extremely corrosive to nails and screws. ACQ was also less 'fixed' in the wood. EPL helps keep the chemicals in the wood and lowers the corrosive problem at the same time by keeping the water out of the wood - coating wood at its finest.

Around 2009, another pesticide, MCA (micronized copper azole) became available as a different pressure treatment chemical. All pressure-treated wood carry a tag describing the treatment used. Remember, the government strongly recommends against sanding pressure-treated wood and power washing is the most common cleaning method, but can leave unsuitable surface problems. EPL smoothly coats all these types of woods and chemicals to protect you from the chemicals and to enhance the surface appearance and feel of the wood.

Another common type of outdoor wood is cedar. This wood contains a dark chemical called tannin. Tannins can migrate to the surface. Water will increase the migration of tannins to the surface of cedars and is the cause of 'water spot stains' found so often on outdoor woods. These tannins are loosely held together by the wood and can cause adhesion problems for any wood coating. EPL will resist tannins found in cedar. It is important to remove mildew and tannins from the surface before applying any type of coating.

Cedar is not a wood that power washes very well because it is prone to heavy splintering when power washed. If you find it necessary to power wash be very careful and use as little force as possible. An alternative is to scrub off the tannins and mildew with a brush and a cleaner.

Do your best to wash all surfaces that you can get to - tops and sides. Rinse well and always allow water to completely evaporate before coating. EPL can cover any splinters that were formed, whether from power washing or scrubbing. Chemical cleaners, if used, should be thoroughly rinsed off so as to not leave any salt in the wood. Cedar can be sanded, however, be careful not to burnish the surface.