Throughout North America, coal tar creosote is used to treat wood products that are used in the transportation, communications, energy, and maritime sectors, many of which are critical infrastructure.
This infographic from the Creosote Council explains how creosote-treated wood is used in three key areas: as railway crossties, as utility poles, and as marine pilings. from insect infestation and microbial decay. This amounts to approximately 90 million cubic feet of wood products that are treated with creosote each year.
The benefits of creosote as a wood preservative include:
- protection from wood infestation and decay, which greatly prolongs the useful life of wood products
- greatly extending the exterior service life of untreated wood (which is only about 5 years with creosote preservation)
- durability and flexibility that is both cost effective and easily installed
The history of creosote use and treatment is wide-ranging. To learn more, click on our infographic below, and feel free to download and share …
