Evaluation of the suitability of conservationally acceptable materials for treating wood in the polar environment to reduce wood deterioration.

In the 1998-1999 season, three test racks with wood panels were erected near the three historic huts at Hut Point, Cape Evans and Cape Royds. The racks were placed outside the historic hut boundaries but in exposed sites. The panels contained blocks of wood measuring 100mm x 150mm x 50mm in size. There were two types of wood used for each block, Pinus radiata and Baltic pine. The blocks of wood were treated with several different materials including 4 silicon based products, paint and a control. The racks were examined every two years and one set of samples was removed every three years to test the ability of the treatment to prevent non-biological damage to the wood and therefore determine which material is best suited to withstand the environmental conditions. The wood blocks were taken to the University of Minnesota for examination.