Expert: Jamie Yocono - 6/11/2007

Question
Jamie,
Thanks for your quick response. The product is called Copper Green and it's made by Green Products in Richmond, CA. I could not find a toll-free number on the can. The chairs are made out of pine. Something you should also know is that we were following instructions from the Family Handyman magazine which said to soak the chairs in the wood preservative. We filled several disposable plastic containers and sat the feet of each chair in them overnight. Lastly, we do NOT live in a humid climate. I look forward to hearing from you.

Answer
Hi Heather,

I did a little investigating and found a website for the product you mentioned. Here is a link:

http://www.coppergreen.com

I read about their products, and from their formulations, there really isn't any good reason why the wood isn't drying. You mentioned that you live in an area that isn't humid, which makes me wonder about the moisture level of the wood.

Basically, if the wood is dry, the finish will absorb and dry. If the wood is wet, then the finish won't absorb as much. Yourwood pores (or cells) are already filled with something, so no absorption is occurring. Think of a sponge that's completely wet. If you dip it in a bucket of water, it still can't absorb more.

Now- this product claims to work by reacting with the cellulose of wood. That means it enters the wood cells and works from within. I suspect the problem could be a couple of things- maybe the wood you're using was already impregnated with something from the factory. This would keep the stuff you used from absorbing. Or maybe the Pine is freshly cut and has a very high moisture contact of it's own. That would also keep the stuff from absorbing and drying.

My best suggestion is two fold- their website has a way to contact them, I would write and explain the problem. It sounds to me like you did nothing wrong in your application (ie..soaking the feet) so they may be able to suggest something to fix it. Next- I would keep that piece in the sun and let some moisture bleed out of it. The high moisture contact is what's keeping it from drying properly, so that's the main goal in getting this to dry. Most wood products will dry out over time, yours is just taking longer than normal.

Good luck, I hope they're able to provide you with some answers.

Jamie Yocono
Wood It Is! Custom Cabinetry
Las Vegas, NV
www.wooditis.com