Real World Performance
Whilst the EN Standards (EN 252 and EN599-1:2009 + A1:2013) have played a significant part in the development of Tanasote®, they typically are used to predict a service life of between 15 to 30 years. To prove a 40-year service life in a real-world environment, Tanasote® has been subject to additional testing in high humidity and aggressive field test sites alongside timber treated with CCA and Creosote, as well as laboratory fungal studies. Testing of water-repellent properties has also been undertaken.
As well as these independent field test trials, Tanasote® is also being tested in commercial size commodities in collaboration with customers. Current field test case studies include animal horse cribbing trials, treated telecommunications pole test site, track timbers, fruit poles and agricultural fencing.
Agricultural Fencing Trial
Tim Bennett Farming Fencing contractors have over 35 years’ experience of using creosote and traditional preservative treated fencing timbers. As a forward thinking company they partnered with Arxada to trial Tanasote® treated timber fencing.
As part of the trial, 150 metres of Tanasote® treated fence posts were installed to complete a farm fencing project at Priors Byne Farm in Partridge Green, West Sussex.
Installed in 2018, Tim Bennett – Director, spoke of Tanasote® treated posts:
“The preservative does not ‘bleed’ from the timber during hot weather conditions, the treated timbers have no strong smell and they are easy and safe to use.”
Andy Cordery was part of the team who erected the fencing and was impressed by the handling experience:
“It was just like using regular treated timber really. There is no strong smell or effect on my skin that you have with traditional high performance treated timbers.”
Equestrian Fencing Trial
In 2019/2020, Tanasote® treated posts and rails were installed in four UK locations, as fencing for equestrian use, to determine whether horses would crib on the treated timber. In one instance, hay bales were hung on the posts to encourage the horses to approach.
Examples of some of the fences on installation, and after two years, are shown in the following images. There was no observable evidence of cribbing on any of the Tanasote® treated fence rails, and none of the site owners reported seeing their horses cribbing on the treated timber.
