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persnicketydesign

Has anyone used BluWood?

persnicketydesign
16 years ago

It's new in our area and there's only one local house currently under construction that's using it. From what I've read it seems like a no-brainer for us to use it, but I'd like opinions from those who have experience with it. Anything you did or didn't like about it?

I'll post a link to the website, but the gyst of it is that our lumber would be taken from the lumber yard to the local BluWood facility where it's given a two-stage coating. The lumber yard said that they would get it back the next day or it can be delivered directly to the jobsite. The result is bright blue lumber that carries a lifetime warranty against mold, rot, and termites.

Here is a link that might be useful: BluWood website

Comments (21)

  • sierraeast
    16 years ago

    Pretty awesome. My question would be what about cuts.Do you touch up the end grains after cutting? what about ripped lumber? Pretty similar to a fireproof coating i mentioned in another thread. Buzzsaw gave some referalls to fireproof coatings available today.

  • persnicketydesign
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    The cuts ends do have to be retreated, but they offer a product to do that onsite. It's called "BluWood End-Cut and Cut-Out Solution".

    Forgot to mention earlier that they are testing it now to see if it can be classified as a fire retardant, but as of yet it's not.

    It's supposed to be really green too. They say that a 50 gallon spill of the stuff isn't hazaradous enough to report to the EPA.

  • mikeyvon
    16 years ago

    looks like pretty cool stuff. Is it pricey?

  • persnicketydesign
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    I'm having 2 lumber yards rebid my lumber package using BluWood. They said that on average it's about 10-15% higher on studs, but that it's less for the sheathing. Advantech is running $18.50 here and the BluWood is $14.50. One of the guys said that he thinks we'll come in about $1500 higher for our entire package using BluWood. I think it would be worth it, but we'll see if I change my mind after the bids come back! LOL

    I'd really love to hear from anyone who's used it! I heard that it's been used in Florida and California for a few years now, but it's brand new here.

  • buzzsaw
    16 years ago

    Wow. I found this pretty interesting. Hadn't heard of it before. 10 - 15% premium seems very cheap. Just think if you made your whole house out of PT lumber to help w/ rot - that would be much more than 10 - 15%. Of course in reality using PT for the whole thing is a very bad idea because of its shrinkage rate... I digress.

    You would think that just the logistics of taking the lumber to a second facility (shipping, handling) etc. would add 15% to the bill let alone the cost to add the bluwood technology on top of that. Seems almost too good to be true.

    As a chemical engineer by education, I kept searching for the big reasons to doubt the product (vapor vs. liquid intrusion, coating thickness, metal corrosion, VOC's, hazardous, etc.) but didn't see any. Borates have been used to deter insects for many years, but I didn't see what technology they were using for repelling water - I'd like to learn what that is before using it. All in all, it certainly warrants some additional consideration.

  • persnicketydesign
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Buzz...It's less than 15 miles to take the lumber from the yard to the treatment plant and drop it off at our property. Our close proximity is probably a contributing factor as to why the cost is so minimal. The local facility is called the AGC plant which stands for Augusta, Greenville, & Charlotte. Their territory extends into Tennessee, North Carolina, and Florida.

    I'll see if I can get in touch with someone at the treatment facility who can tell me what is used as a water repellent. The house that is currently being built with Bluwood is just up the street from me, so I'll try to get by there today and snap a picture. It's rather bizarre looking!

  • mike13
    16 years ago

    On their website they don't say what the infusion film is to repel water but they use DOT (Disodium Octaborate Tetrahydrate) as the wood preservative.

    http://www.bluwood.com/dot.php

  • persnicketydesign
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    They told me that it's an "infusion film" that bonds to the wood fibers to prevent moisture absorption. They didn't say what compounds are in it. Must be a company secret. LOL

    I got the first bid back this afternoon and it raised the cost of our lumber package by nearly $4,000. This wasn't the same lumber yard that estimated it would only be $1500. We'll see what the other one says, but I have a feeling that it will be a bit more than their original $1500 guesstimate!

    Here's the pic of the house up the road...

    {{gwi:1505186}}

  • sierraeast
    16 years ago

    Just realized how the blue man group got there start. Obviously they worked in a bluwood factory and got it all over themselves and to supplement their income, turned it into a club act at the local pub. Now they're doing vegas baby!

  • ralph1533
    16 years ago

    A friend from BluWood corporate sent me to this blog. I am one of the owners of BluWood AGC. I'll be happy to answer any questions about the product and arrange a plant tour.
    DOT is the EPA registered component. The chemistry used here is the first ever to stabilize the borate so it doesn't leach out and kill your shrubs.

  • ajpl
    16 years ago

    It looks like an interesting concept.

    Currently our building code prevent the use of any treated lumber inside the house. I know a few people have gotten rejected for having treated lumber in the basement window openings because it extends tot he inside. I wonder how this relates?

  • coffeehaus
    16 years ago

    Well, I'll be able to share our experience with you in the future. We are in the process of building and just received our first delivery of BluWood this week. Since our foundation was just poured this week, we have not yet begun framing. Stay tuned...

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    Here is a link that might be useful: Coffee Rd. house blog

  • ralph1533
    16 years ago

    Code does prevent using pt lumber in living spaces.
    BluWood is not pursuing sill plate approval.
    But we do treat lumber that is already pressure treated to stabilize the heavy metals from the pt and to help with the terrible twisting/warping/splitting problems with pt lumber.
    btw: Extreme Home Makeover will feature BluWood this Sunday 12/16.

  • persnicketydesign
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Ralph1533...thank you so much for offering to answer questions for us!

    Since I posted this thread I've had the opportunity to speak with several people at the lumber yards who are very excited about your product. I even stopped by Mulherin right after BluWood had given a presentation to their staff. They were very helpful (as always) and gave me lots of literature on your product as well as a sample. DH put it beside the wood pile to see how it holds up over the next few months...so far so good. LOL

    Is the sill plate not covered under the warranty? Our framer is under the impression that it is not, but I could not find anything in the literature that states that.

  • bearshelton
    16 years ago

    I along with Ralph am one of the owners of BluWood, and we both are so excited about BluWood and what it can do for Families and Home dwellings. I'll also be here to answer any questions along with Ralph about BluWood.
    Look for BluWood on Extreme Makeover Home Edition Sunday Dec 16th @ 8pm eastrn.
    BluWood protects from MOLD, FUNGUS, TERMITES, ROT DECAY, MOISTURE DAMAGE, and soon to have a CLASS A Fire Rating. Virtually eliminating ALL negative things associated with wood.
    Wood (cellulose) is Molds favorite thing to eat.
    MOLD is a bigger problem today than it ever has been in the home. Medical research says that nearly all chronic sinus problems are linked to mold and the asthma rate has gone up over 300% in the last 20 years and this has been linked to MOLD. There are currently thousands of lawsuits due to MOLD. Buildings are being torn down from having MOLD. So Why is MOLD such a problem today and it wasn't that big of a deal a few years ago. There are a million and one different reasons for MOLD in the home, but one reason for it is our homes are much more airtight today than they were years ago trapping moisture in and that is what MOLD needs to grow, moisture, along with air and a food source...like wood.
    BluWood can protect your home's biggest component, the WOOD structure of your home(and MOLD & TERMITES favorite food source) from ever being infected, as well as never having any wood damage or rot, from moisture due to leaks or whatever reason.
    With BluWood you are simply building a better home but more importantly a safer home.
    BluWood has a lifetime warranty that is transferable to a new buyer(s).

    Sorry for the commercial but I wanted to answer a few questions for anyone seeing BluWood for the first time.

    Remember Look for BluWood on Extreme Makeover Home Edition Sunday Dec 16th @ 8pm eastrn.

    Bear Shelton

  • kelntx
    16 years ago

    DANG! I would have loved to use this on our house!!! I can't wait to see the feedback on it. My brother in law is going to be building in a few months, I will for sure let him know about this!

  • robin0919
    16 years ago

    Interesting product! I'm in the Charlotte area. It sounds like your mfg is close to me?
    Persnip....what did the final add. cost add to the lumber price?
    Ralph, Bear....It sounds like it would be a good selling point. I've just started my business of building houses in this area. Does it actually repel termites or they just don't like to eat it? As in if they crawled up to the first lumber above the sill and turned around and leave? Or would they start crawling up until they found reg. lumber?

  • ralph1533
    16 years ago

    we're not ready to get into the ring with the 600 pound gorilla from the pt industry. However, we do treat the pt sill plate lumber and do reduce the warping, etc.
    robin0919, persnic-drop me a line at ralph@bluwoodagc.com and we'll arrange for you to see the facility and talk more about how this product will set you apart from others.
    The Charlotte area is serviced out of Greensboro by Envirogard. Shane Holley is the licensee there.
    I've got some pics of some plywood left on the ground in the Carribean and covered with a tarp. Formosan termite tunnel climbs the entire stack. But not a bit of damage to the bluwood treated plywood was found after knocking the tunnel off. Send me an e-mail address and I'll shoot the pics to you.

  • MTNFRAMER
    11 years ago

    These posts are five years old, what happened to bluwood?

  • energy_rater_la
    11 years ago

    the piece of blue wood 2x4 I brought home from
    a meeting @ local lumber company is still in
    good shape. I put it inbetween the screen & window
    in the living room (west side) to see how it
    would weather. this was in early 08.
    still blue, not rotted just lighter blue than
    before.
    got plenty of rain..

    just fyi.

  • michael S
    2 years ago

    https://www.safeguardxfr.com/other-products thats the company that developed it

    i think it got beat out by a company called eco-red (eco-blu) you might recall seeing the telltale red 2x4s at home depot, we sold them when i worked in building & lumber @ the depot