Cu-Lam barrier wrap is a copper foil polyethylene laminate which prevents direct soil contact with the pole. The Cu-Lam barrier keeps the preservative from migrating into the surrounding soil. Barrier wraps offer additional protection to treated wood from decay, insect attack, and preservative strength loss over time. The preservative stays in the wood longer, by inhibiting the natural depletion process of the preservatives. Cu-Lam barriers are designed to deter and repel wood-destroying fungi and termites. Install Cu-Lam barriers in environmentally sensitive areas and in regions where subterranean termites are active.
Independent tests have proven that the use of one-piece barrier wraps can significantly reduce the occurrence of decay and insect attack on treated wood structures when the ground contact portion of the wooden member is protected from soil contact by the barrier. Preservative treated stakes wrapped with a barrier in a Hilo, Hawaii field trial have out-performed un-wrapped stakes 2 to 1. Basidiomycota vector-function is suppressed by impermeable membrane barriers; preventing these decay fungi from efficiently translocating soil-source inorganic nutrients.
Recently recognized the efficacy of the barrier wrap system. AWPA now includes Barriers in Standard P-20-07 and is working on additional commodity listings of barrier systems.
AWPAAmerican Wood Protection Association
"Booted (barrier wrapped) stakes had little evidence of decay, where as those without boots (barrier wraps) experienced large weight loss and extreme shrinkage and deformation."
Oregon State University1997
The International Code Council Evaluation Services recognizes the use of a barrier wrap system for use in ground contact service in report ESR-1834
ICCInternational Code Council
In a Study initiated in 2003, and is ongoing, demonstrates that preservative movement out of treated poles equipped with barrier wraps is blocked. Impermeable barrier wraps impedes leaching into the surrounding environment.
EPRIElectric Power Research Institute
Mississippi State University termite resistance tests found that there was no attack on any of the coated (barrier wrapped) wood.
Mississippi2000
Soil Bed tests were performed by Forinek-Canada (Western Lab), PowerTech Labs, the BC Science Council, and BC Hydro on CCA-C treated and untreated Lodgepole pine posts. In high decay conditions for over eight years found that the performance increase due to booting (barrier wrapping) was 2.5 times greater on a retention basis.
Forinek-CanadaWestern Lab
Cu-Lam Fire Barriers protects utility poles during grass and brush fires. The copper foils melting point of almost 2000° F creates a durable oxygen barrier inhibiting ignition and preventing after-glow.
Cu-Lam Fire Barrier is a heavy-duty copper polyethylene laminate designed to protect all species and treatments of wood utility poles from fire damage. The Cu-Lam Fire Barrier is a wrap which provides excellent flame resistance and can withstand years of outdoor weathering.
Cu-Lam Fire Barriers are cost-effective reducing the cost for annual brush control and pole repairs. Because our product is a wrap there is never any associated mess requiring cleanup during or after installation, or during transit.
Copper Care Wood Preservatives' Cu-Lam Fire Barrier protects utility poles during grass and brush fires. The copper foil's melting point of almost 2000° F creates a durable oxygen barrier inhibiting ignition and preventing after-glow
Read the studies and examine the data, to determine if Cu-Lam Barriers Should be in your new pole program.
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