Warranty Guide
Severe Weather products are treated with Alkaline Copper Azole (CA-C). Lowe’s and the gable design, Top Choice® and Severe Weather® are registered trademarks of Lowe’s & LF, LLC. © 6/2013
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
• Do not burn preserved wood. • Wear a dust mask and goggles when cutting or sanding wood. • Wear gloves when working with wood. • Some preservative
may migrate from the treated wood into soil/water or may dislodge from the treated wood surface upon contact with skin. Wash exposed skin areas thoroughly.
• All sawdust and construction debris should be cleaned up and disposed of after construction. • Wash work clothes separately from other household clothing
before reuse. • Preserved wood should not be used where it may come into direct or indirect contact with drinking water, except for uses involving incidental
contact such as fresh water docks and bridges. • Do not use preserved wood under circumstances where the preservative may become a component of food,
animal feed, or beehives. • Do not use preserved wood as mulch. • Only preserved wood that is visibly clean and free of surface residue should be used. • If
the wood is to be used in an interior application and becomes wet during construction, it should be allowed to dry before being covered or enclosed. • Disposal
Recommendations - Preserved wood may be disposed of in landlls or burned in commercial or industrial incinerators or boilers in accordance with federal,
state, and local regulations. • If you desire to apply a paint, stain, clear water repellent, or other nish to your preservative treated wood, we recommend
following the manufacturer’s instructions and label of the nishing product. Before you start, we recommend you apply the nishing product to a small
exposed test area before completing the entire project to insure it provides the intended result before proceeding. • Projects should be designed and installed
in accordance with federal, state, and local building codes and ordinances governing construction in your area and in accordance with the National Design
Specications (NDS) and the Wood Handbook. • Mold growth can and does occur on the surface of many products, including untreated and treated wood,
during prolonged surface exposure to excessive moisture conditions. To remove mold from the treated wood surface, wood should be allowed to dry. Typically,
mild soap and water can be used to remove remaining surface mold. For more information visit www.epa.gov.
For more information call 800-585-5161, or visit www.osmosewood.com.
IMPORTANT APPLICATION INFORMATION
• Fasteners- Severe Weather products are designed for long term performance in outdoor applications and, therefore, require high quality corrosion-resistant
nails, screws, and other fasteners and hardware.
For interior or exterior applications use fasteners and hardware that are in compliance with the manufacturer’s recommendations and the building
codes for their intended use. As with any good design and construction practices, Severe Weather treated wood should not be used in applications where
trapped moisture or water can occur. Where design and/or actual conditions allow for constant, repetitive, or long periods of wet conditions, only stainless steel
fasteners should be used.
Fasteners (and other metal products) for use with Severe Weather preserved wood products include:
- Hot-Dip Galvanized**
Fastener and hardware manufacturers have suggested the minimum Hot-Dip Galvanized requirements for use with treated wood should conform to the
following ASTM Standards: ASTM-A153 (for Hot-Dip fastener products) and ASTM- A 653 (Coating Designation G-185 for Hot-Dip connector and sheet products).
- Stainless Steel
Stainless steel fasteners and connectors are required for Permanent Wood Foundations below grade and are recommended for use with treated wood in other
severe exterior applications such as swimming pools, salt water exposure, etc. Type 304 and 316 are the recommended grades to use.
- Other fasteners and hardware as recommended by the manufacturer. There may be additional products (other than stainless steel or hot-dip galvanized) which
are suitable for use with Severe Weather treated wood. Please consult with the individual fastener or hardware manufacturer for recommendations for use of
their products with Severe Weather treated wood.
- Aluminum should not be used in direct contact with Severe Weather treated wood.
Spacer materials or other physical barriers are recommended to prevent direct contact of Severe Weather treated wood and aluminum products.
When using Severe Weather preserved wood in close proximity to aluminum products, such as aluminum siding, ashing, furniture and door and window
frames, a 1/4” minimum space must be allowed for between the Severe Weather and the aluminum products. Polyethylene or nylon spacers can be used to
maintain the 1/4” spacing. Another option is to use a polyethylene barrier, with a minimum thickness of 10 mils, between the Severe Weather preserved wood
and the aluminum product to prevent direct contact of the wood and the aluminum.
• Above ground treated material should not be used in ground contact applications as this can adversely affect the performance of the entire project. In addition,
no treated materials that have been end cut or trimmed should be used in ground contact applications. The appropriate usage is noted on the end tag attached
to each piece.
• When appearance permits, attach boards bark side up. As a general rule, attach boards bark side up (annual rings arc upward) to reduce cupping; however,
the best face should be placed up when a defect of the wood is apparent. Fasten thin boards to thicker boards to maintain structural integrity.
• Drill pilot holes - Drill pilot holes especially when nailing or screwing near the edge or end of a board. Pilot holes will help minimize splitting.
• Deck board spacing - Should the wood become wet during construction, butt deck boards together. As drying occurs, some shrinkage can be expected. If the
wood is dry, allowing for shrinkage is not necessary.
• Use an endcoat preservative - Brush-on endcoat wood preservative is recommended on all saw cuts and into drill holes during construction of wood projects.
Also apply on areas where moisture can collect. Follow manufacturer’s recommendations.
• Apply a weather-resistant nish - Any exposed wood, pressure treated or not, should be protected from the weather. Application of a quality clear water repellent
or semi-transparent stain, which contains water repellent, will help minimize the cycles of moisture take-up and loss the wood goes through outdoors. First,
determine if your Severe Weather product has been pressure treated with a factory applied water repellent by looking at the end tag. If not factory water
repellent treated, thoroughly clean your project with a deck cleaning product. Clear water repellent can be immediately applied to your deck or other project.
If you choose to use a semi-transparent stain which contains a water repellent, you need to rst check that your project is surface dry. Either wait until the
surface is dry or immediately apply clear water repellent and wait approximately 8 weeks and then apply your chosen color of semi-transparent stain. If the
Severe Weather products contain a factory water repellent, an oil based stain can be applied in 30 - 60 days and water based stains can be applied after 6
months. Check that the wood is surface dry before applying stain. In all instances follow the manufacturer’s directions when applying water repellents or semi-
transparent stains which may contain water repellent.
**Electroplated galvanized fastener and metal products are typically not accepted by the building codes for use in exterior applications, regardless of the type of wood used.
THE SEVERE WEATHER RESIDENTIAL &
AGRICULTURAL LIMITED WARRANTY