— Mold-Resistant Treated Wood · Interior

Frame Guard®

Factory-applied mold, decay, and termite protection for framing, sheathing, trusses, and engineered wood. Green-tinted for jobsite identification. Backed by a 20-year limited warranty.

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Overview

Applications

Technical Data

FAQ

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Working With It

Warranty

20-Year

Limited Warranty

ASTM D 3273

0 Mold Rating, 8 Weeks

AWPA E1

Termite Rating 7.0 Min

EPA Registered

Active Ingredients

Section 06 05 76

Model Specification

Protection Applied Before It Ever Reaches The Site.

FrameGuard® is a factory-applied coating that protects framing lumber, plywood, OSB, engineered wood, trusses, and SIPs against mold, fungal decay, and termites. It is applied under controlled conditions at treating and component plants — never at the jobsite — so coverage is uniform and nothing has to be handled by the crew.

The system works in two layers. Anti-mold fungicides stay near the surface, where they make the wood unattractive as a food source by inhibiting mold's ability to break down the sugars and starches it feeds on. Underneath, the borate component migrates into the wood over time, providing long-term protection against decay and insects. FrameGuard® Total™ adds an imidacloprid insecticide for Formosan termite protection.

Because the treatment diffuses through the wood, field cuts and drilled holes do not need to be re-treated. Its use requires no pesticide applicator license, and treated wood is handled the same as untreated wood on site.

Resists mold, fungal decay, and termites
Same fasteners as untreated wood
Green colorant for identification
Paintable with primer plus topcoat

No significant effect on strength
No field treatment of cuts or holes
Available clear on request
May earn green building standard credits

20yr

Limited Warranty

Arxada warrants FrameGuard® treated wood against mold, decay fungi, and termite damage in permitted applications.

Mold, before install 180 days

Mold, after install 20 years

Decay fungi 20 years

Termites 20 years

Conditions apply — see warranty section

The Numbers, At A Glance.

— Technical Data

Performance thresholds below match the model specification, Section 06 05 76 — Mold-Resistant Treated Wood.

  
        PROPERTY
        VALUE
      
        Treatment Type
        Factory-applied surface coating, spray or dip
      
        Mold Growth (ASTM D 3273)
        0 rating, 8 weeks at 77°F and 100% RH
      
        Termite Resistance (AWPA E1)
        Minimum rating of 7.0
      
        Formosan Termite Resistance
        FrameGuard® Total™ — imidacloprid insecticide
      
        Corrosion Potential (AWPA E12)
        Maximum 2 mils per year, minimum 60 days
      
        Lateral Resistance & Tooth Holding
        Equivalent to untreated wood
      
        Color
        Green tinted; clear available on request
      
        Exposure
        Interior or weather-protected above ground
      
        Field Cuts & Holes
        Re-treatment not required
      
        Applicator License
        Not required for use of treated wood
      
        Substrates Treated
        CONFIRM YOUR LIST
      
        Available Dimensions
        E.G. 2X4–2X12, LENGTHS
      
        Manufacturer
        Arxada (Arch Wood Protection, Inc.)

PROPERTY	VALUE
Treatment Type	Factory-applied surface coating, spray or dip
Mold Growth (ASTM D 3273)	0 rating, 8 weeks at 77°F and 100% RH
Termite Resistance (AWPA E1)	Minimum rating of 7.0
Formosan Termite Resistance	FrameGuard® Total™ — imidacloprid insecticide
Corrosion Potential (AWPA E12)	Maximum 2 mils per year, minimum 60 days
Lateral Resistance & Tooth Holding	Equivalent to untreated wood
Color	Green tinted; clear available on request
Exposure	Interior or weather-protected above ground
Field Cuts & Holes	Re-treatment not required
Applicator License	Not required for use of treated wood
Substrates Treated	CONFIRM YOUR LIST
Available Dimensions	E.G. 2X4–2X12, LENGTHS
Manufacturer	Arxada (Arch Wood Protection, Inc.)

Strength Of Wood — Modulus Of Elasticity, E × 10⁶

  
        CONDITION
        ORIENTATION 1
        ORIENTATION 2
        ORIENTATION 3
        OVERALL AVERAGE
      
        Before treatment
        2.15
        2.12
        2.14
        2.14
      
        After treatment
        2.14
        2.11
        2.14
        2.13

CONDITION	ORIENTATION 1	ORIENTATION 2	ORIENTATION 3	OVERALL AVERAGE
Before treatment	2.15	2.12	2.14	2.14
After treatment	2.14	2.11	2.14	2.13

Timber Products Inspection, an independent agency, tested 50 samples of 2×4 southern pine before and after coating. The results indicated no significant difference in strength values from the coating.

AWPA E12 Corrosion Test — 120°F, 90% RH, Loss In Mils Per Year

  
    
        Metal
        30-Day Control
        30-Day Treated
        60-Day Control
        60-Day Treated
      


    
        Aluminum 2024
        0.0
        0.1
        0.0
        0.1
      

        Carbon steel 1010
        0.0
        0.2
        0.0
        0.3
      

        Standard hot-dip galvanized
        0.6
        0.3
        0.4
        0.3
      

        G90 electroplated
        0.3
        0.7
        0.9
        1.2
      

  

Metal	30-Day Control	30-Day Treated	60-Day Control	60-Day Treated
Aluminum 2024	0.0	0.1	0.0	0.1
Carbon steel 1010	0.0	0.2	0.0	0.3
Standard hot-dip galvanized	0.6	0.3	0.4	0.3
G90 electroplated	0.3	0.7	0.9	1.2

Standard exposure is 10–15 days. Two separate tests — one using AWPA E12 procedures with small metal samples, the other with actual metal truss plates — showed comparable corrosion levels for FrameGuard® wood and untreated controls. Specify the same hardware you would for ordinary wood.

— Specifying Mold-Resistant Wood

FrameGuard Spec: 4 Must-Haves.

Writing FrameGuard® into your project? These four confirm you're specifying it right — from section number through delivery.

Section 06 05 76 mold-resistant treatment

Specify Total in Formosan termite regions

ASTM D 3273 0 rating · AWPA E1 7.0 min

Quality stamp on delivery · store off ground

— On The Jobsite

Working With Frame Guard.

Handled like ordinary lumber, with four things worth knowing before the crew starts.

Fasteners

Corrosion testing showed levels comparable to untreated controls, and truss plate tests agreed. Specify the same hardware you would use with ordinary wood — no upgrade required.

Same as untreated

Coatings & Mold Protection

When the surface is coated with paint, the surface mold protection is hindered. To retain it, use a mold-resistant, low VOC paint.

Mold-resistant, low VOC

Field Cuts

Because the treating solution diffuses through the wood, it is not necessary to field-treat wood exposed by sawing or drilling. Nothing needs to be brushed on after a cut.

No re-treatment

Handling & PPE

The same common sense precautions apply as with untreated wood. Dust masks and eye protection are recommended against sawdust and wood chips, gloves help avoid splinters, and hands should be washed after construction work.

As untreated wood

Painting

Plywood and OSB included, FrameGuard® wood can be painted without green bleed-through. Use a minimum of one coat of primer plus one coat of paint, or two coats of paint — one coat alone is not sufficient.

Primer + topcoat

Storage & Delivery

Treated products arrive bearing the manufacturer's quality stamp: inspection agency, month and year of application, treatment facility, treatment used, and suitable end uses. Store off ground.

Stamp + off ground

— Applications

Where Wolman E Goes To Work.

Interior and weather-protected above-ground components, from stick framing to shop-fabricated assemblies.

Framing

Dimensional framing lumber
Wall panels and studs
Structural members

Engineered Wood

Roof and floor trusses
Parallel strand and laminated veneer lumber
Wood I-beams

Millwork & Trim

Window and door components
Exterior trim and fascia, topcoated
Shop-fabricated millwork

Panels & Sheathing

Plywood and oriented strand board
Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs)
Wood-faced structural panels

— Warranty

What The 20 Years Actually Requires.

The warranty is real, and so are its conditions. Four of them are decided at design and construction — miss one and coverage does not attach. Read the full warranty document before relying on it.

Condition 01

Pressure Treated Sill Plate

The structure must be built with a treated wood sill plate, pressure treated to AWPA U1 or a valid ICC-ES evaluation report, installed between the foundation and all framing. FrameGuard® is not a substitute for it.

Condition 02

Termite Pretreatment

The building must be pretreated against termites at the time of construction with an EPA-registered termiticide, applied by a licensed pest control operator per the product label and all applicable code requirements.

Condition 03

Annual Inspection & Bond

For the termite portion, the structure must be inspected once a year by a licensed pest control operator, and the owner must keep a termite damage bond or warranty in force throughout the warranty period.

Condition 04

Above Ground, Kept Dry

Treated wood must be used above ground in locations not intended for exposure to liquids, and continuously protected from precipitation. Exposure to moisture or wetting after installation voids coverage.

Also note

Formosan Termite Regions

Standard FrameGuard® is not warranted against Formosan termite damage. In regions with known or potential activity — including MD, VA, NC, SC, GA, FL, AL, MS, LA, TX, and CA — FrameGuard® Total™ must be specified.

Also note

Claim Window & Liability Cap

Claims must be made in writing within 30 days of discovering a failure and before permanent repairs begin. Warrantor liability is capped at the lesser of the invoice value of the affected wood or $5,000 in aggregate.

⚠️ Disposal & Building Code Status

Do not burn FrameGuard® coated wood, and do not use chips or sawdust as mulch. Coated wood can be disposed of in ordinary construction and demolition landfills and industrial landfills, in accordance with local, state, and federal guidelines.

Code status: the model building codes do not currently require the use of mold-resistant wood. FrameGuard® is a performance and warranty upgrade rather than a code-mandated product, though green building standards may grant credits for using it. Where the code requires treated wood — sill plates and similar — specify pressure treated material instead.

— FAQ

Questions Buyers Ask.

No. FrameGuard® treated wood is not typically a substitute for pressure treated sill plates or other components where the codes require treated wood. It is a surface-applied coating for interior and weather-protected framing, not a pressure-impregnated preservative system. In fact the 20-year warranty requires a pressure treated sill plate between the foundation and the framing, so the two products work together rather than in place of each other.
FrameGuard® treated wood is intended for interior or weather-protected above-ground applications where it is not exposed to precipitation. It can be used for exterior trim and fascia with an appropriate weather-protecting topcoat, and for exterior trim and millwork with a factory-applied primer and approved top-coating. It is not for ground contact, decks, or anything permanently exposed to the weather — that is what Wolman® E MCA is for.
No. The FrameGuard® preservative system is factory-applied under carefully controlled conditions to assure uniform coverage and a quality application. It is applied at facilities such as truss plants, SIP plants, and wood treating plants that have installed suitable spraying or dipping equipment — never at a jobsite. That also means no chemicals are needed on site.
No. Because the treating solution diffuses through the wood, it is not necessary to field-treat wood exposed by sawing or drilling. Use of the treated wood also does not require a pesticide applicator license.
No significant effect on either. Timber Products Inspection tested 50 samples of 2×4 southern pine before and after coating and found no significant difference in strength values — overall average modulus of elasticity moved from 2.14 to 2.13. For connections, MiTek Industries found no statistical difference in lateral resistance and tooth holding compared with matched untreated southern pine and spruce/pine/fir samples. Corrosion testing showed levels comparable to untreated controls, so specify the same hardware you would for ordinary wood.
The green colorant is added at the factory as part of the treatment. It lets anyone on site confirm at a glance that they are installing FrameGuard® wood and prevents confusing it with untreated material — useful when an inspector or a builder needs to verify what went into the wall. For architectural or other applications where the color is a problem, FrameGuard® treatment may be available clear. Ask us when you quote.
Yes, including plywood and OSB, without any bleed-through of the green color. Use a minimum of one coat of primer and one coat of paint, or two coats of paint — one coat of paint alone is not sufficient to prevent bleed-through. One caveat: coating the surface with paint hinders the surface mold protection. To retain it, use a mold-resistant, low VOC paint.
Formosan termites. Standard FrameGuard® treated wood is not warranted against damage from Formosan termites. FrameGuard® Total™ includes an imidacloprid insecticide and carries a 20-year warranty that covers termites including Formosan. In states with reported Formosan activity — Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, and California — Total is the version to specify.
Not currently. The model building codes do not require the use of mold-resistant wood, so FrameGuard® is specified as a performance and warranty upgrade rather than to satisfy a code requirement. Green building standards may grant credits for using it, and the model specification includes it under low-emitting materials and innovation in design submittals.
Arxada warrants FrameGuard® treated wood against surface mold for 180 days before installation and 20 years after, against decay fungi for 20 years, and against termite damage for 20 years. Coverage depends on the structure being a permitted application: built to code in the continental US, with a pressure treated sill plate between foundation and framing, termite pretreatment by a licensed operator at construction, annual inspections and a termite bond in force, and the wood kept above ground and continuously protected from precipitation. Liability is capped at the lesser of the invoice value or $5,000. See the warranty section above and the full document before relying on it.