Biological resistance of southern pine and aspen flakeboards made from acetylated flakes

Standard soil block tests can be used for southern pine and aspen flskeboards made with phenol-formaldehyde adhesive if the boards are first leached to remove toxic residual chemicals which inhibit fungal attack. Standard fungal cellar and termite tests can be applied directly without leaching. Flakeboards made from flakes acetylated by a new simplified dip acetic anhydride procedure are resistant to attack by brown-, white-, and soft-rot fungi and tunneling bacteria at acetyl weight gains above 15%. Acetylated flakeboards at 18 to 21% acetyl weight gains are not completely resistant to attack by subterranean termites.