ABSTRACT
Wood is a versatile material which has been used since the dawn of civilization. At the basic level wood satisfied human beings' needs or wants in shelter. defense. transport. and leisure. Archeologists have discovered. from time to time. weapons. domestic utensils, tools. building materials. and boats made of wood. It is a durable material under a benign environment. Since wood is a composite biological materiaL ! inevitably continues to deteriorate as a result of physical. chemical. mechanical. and biological processes. To prolong the service life of wood. many chemical treatments have been developed to protect it from attack by microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi. and insects such as termites (see Chapters 12 and 21 ). Surface treatments are used to protect wood against moisture and weathering (see Chapters 9 and II).
