Treated Wood Use Categories, Conditions and Preservatives

For all types of treated wood use, see the the American Wood Protection Association (AWPA) standardized Category Uses for all types of treated lumber use. Also below are the standarized preservatives for the most common use categories. 

AWPA Use and Sub-use categories
Page 1 of 2 AWPA service conditions for use categories


Page 2 of 2 AWPA service conditions for use categories

The Preservatives and Retention Levels in Pressure Treated Wood by the Most Common Use Categories

  • All preservatives standardized by the American Wood Protection Association (AWPA) are registered pesticides regulated by the EPA.
  • The AWPA Book of Standards categorizes preservatives by their intended use with the required minimum retention levels for various wood species.
  • The preservatives for the most common Use Categories and the standardized retentions for Southern pine are listed below.
Preservatives for the Most Common Use Categories


To make sure you have the right treated wood for the right job, check the guide below for residential above ground and ground contact uses.

Treated Wood Use Guide



Learn the difference in above ground and ground contact treated wood.

Two types of pressure treated wood



Click here for the excerpt of all Use Category designations from AWPA.com.