VYCOR® Deck Protector® Data Sheet

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The Corrosion Problem

  • CCA treated wood, used for almost 70 years, is no longer available for residential usage due to its negative environmental and health effects.
  • Environmentally safe but significantly more corrosive preservatives (ACQ, CA-B, ACZA) replaced CCA as of January 1, 2004.
  • New wood treatments are approximately 2.5–4 times more corrosive to galvanized metal components compared to the historically used CCA.
  • Corrosion may become visible in a short period of time—weeks or months rather than years. Wet conditions accelerate the corrosion rate.
  • Heavier galvanized coatings (G185 or batch hot-dipgalvanized) extend the life of the connectors and fasteners, however the corrosion mechanism and rate do not change. The use of additional protection is highly recommended.

Product Advantages 

  • Improves durability of deck structures
  • Enhances deck aesthetics and longevity
  • Minimizes unnecessary repairs and costly call-backs
  • Provides inexpensive protection (approximately $50 material cost for a 400 ft2 deck)
  • Provides fast and easy to use solution

How Does VYCOR® Deck Protector Work?

VYCOR® Deck Protector is the first uniquely formulated solution to help reduce corrosion of galvanized metal connectors. It is installed between the connector and the pressure-treated wood and acts as a barrier layer to break the electric circuit and thus helps reduce corrosion.

VYCOR® Deck Protector also helps reduce the corrosion rate of galvanized nails that attach the connectors to the treated wood, by separating them from the corrosion influence of the large connector (i.e. joist hanger). The corrosion rates of these fasteners may not be at the level seen with CCA wood.

Use hot-dip galvanized (HDG) fasteners per ASTM A153 when attaching galvanized metal connectors. HDG fasteners optimize structural and corrosion performance in these applications.

Use fasteners per the manufacturer’s recommendation when attaching the surface decking boards to the supporting joists.

The Corrosion Mechanism

When two dissimilar metals (the copper from the wood preservatives and the zinc from the galvanized metal) come into contact with one another, in the presence of moisture, an electric circuit is created and corrosion occurs. This same mechanism makes batteries work. Although CCA also contained copper, its other chemical components (chromate and arsenate) acted as corrosion inhibitors and slowed down corrosion. Therefore CCA wood had been successfully used for years.

    VYCOR® Deck Protector reduces the corrosion rates of galvanized connectors in contact with the new pressure-treated wood back to the historical level of CCA wood.

    The VYCOR® Deck Protector Solution

    • The VYCOR® Deck Protector Solution
    • The first product uniquely formulated and tested to help provide corrosion protection to galvanized metal connectors.
    • Helps decrease the corrosion rates of galvanized connectors to the historically acceptable levels seen with CCA.
    • Helps reduce the corrosion rates of the galvanized nails attaching the connectors.
    • The only barrier solution evaluated by Simpson Strong-Tie®—the leader in the metal connectors industry.

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    We hope the information here will be helpful. It is based on data and knowledge considered to be true and accurate, and is offered for consideration, investigation and verification by the user, but we do not warrant the results to be obtained. Please read all statements, recommendations, and suggestions in conjunction with our conditions of sale, which apply to all goods supplied by us. No statement, recommendation, or suggestion is intended for any use that would infringe any patent, copyright, or other third party right.

    VYCOR and Deck Protector are trademarks, which may be registered in the United States and/or other countries, of GCP Applied Technologies Inc. This trademark list has been compiled using available published information as of the publication date and may not accurately reflect current trademark ownership or status.

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    GCP Applied Technologies Inc., 2325 Lakeview Parkway, Suite 400, Alpharetta, GA 30009, USA
    GCP Canada, Inc., 294 Clements Road, West, Ajax, Ontario, Canada L1S 3C6
    This document is only current as of the last updated date stated below and is valid only for use in the United States. It is important that you always refer to the currently available information at the URL below to provide the most current product information at the time of use. Additional literature such as Contractor Manuals, Technical Bulletins, Detail Drawings and detailing recommendations and other relevant documents are also available on www.gcpat.com. Information found on other websites must not be relied upon, as they may not be up-to-date or applicable to the conditions in your location and we do not accept any responsibility for their content. If there are any conflicts or if you need more information, please contact GCP Customer Service.

    Last Updated: 2023-06-28

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