Eco Wood Treatment

Initially established in Europe, Eco Wood Treatment is a revolutionary company with an innovative product. A nontoxic wood stain and preservative, Eco Wood Treatment provides all wood with a high-end aged look. With just one application, there is no need to ever restain or perform any maintenance. Originally a family business, the brand brought its distinct product to Canada, where the company is headquartered in Salt Spring Island, British Columbia.

Unlike other sealers and stains, Eco Wood Treatment does not wear off, will not fade and does not peel because the substance migrates and covers the exposed wood as cracking occurs. In addition, application of the product enhances the wood’s natural beauty is as it ages. “For example, fir wood will show a hue of dark brown to olive brown, and cedar wood will show a hue of dark brown to reddish brown,” says Bruce MacNutt, CEO of Eco Wood Treatment. “After applying Eco Wood Treatment, it begins to penetrate deep into the fibers of the wood and eventually will enhance the natural wood color with a silver patina.

Eco Wood Treatment is sold internationally and is used for all types of work. The product is available pre-tinted or can be tinted at any retail center. “It can be a great product for matching up new wood to old wood,” says MacNutt. “It also mixes with water. There are no inert particles added.”

Green treatment

Concerned with its carbon footprint, Eco Wood Treatment is a member of the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). As an eco-friendly product, Eco Wood Treatment has an advantage over the competition. The product is a powder composed of natural substances from minerals. It contains no solvents and leaves no harmful residue in water or soil.

A relatively small firm, Eco Wood Treatment employs nine people but deals with large retailers, such as The Home Depot, Lowes, Sherwin Williams, ACE Hardware, Home Hardware and True Value. The company continues to experience major growth as its product becomes known throughout the industry. “We have many irons in the fire and lots of people calling us about the product,” shares MacNutt. “We’re going to and exhibiting at a lot of trade shows, such as Greenbuild.”

While exhibiting at the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo, MacNutt plans to display the numerous colors of Eco Wood Treatment as they apply to certain types of wood. The company’s booth will display both tinted and non-tinted examples of the product. “With every trade show you are hoping to catch the eye of major retailers,” says MacNutt. “It’s also nice to connect with architects because if they like a product, they will relay that to contractors. Last year when the show was in Washington, D.C., we made some great European contacts.”

Greenbuild in Los Angeles will be Eco Wood Treatment’s fourth time exhibiting at the expo. MacNutt sees a certain significance in having the show in California. “That is where the initiatives for green building and sustainability began,” he says.

Regarding legislation and policies, MacNutt is excited about the recent volatile organic compound (VOC) regulations in Canada and the U.S. “These new regulations have done wonders for Eco Wood Treatment,” he shares. “All of the bigger stain companies out there have to change their formulas to either diminish or eliminate the VOCs in their products. I have heard through the grapevine that many of those products are not working as well now.” With Eco Wood Treatment containing no VOCs, many customers are turning to the product due to its proven performance.

Multiple applications

While the product may be used by a homeowner to stain the backyard deck, Eco Wood treatment has also been involved in multimillion-dollar projects, such as a 10,000-acre welcome center for Boy Scouts of America in West Virginia. “Every building on that site used Eco Wood Treatment,” says MacNutt. “We beat out every wood treatment product in the world on that project.”

In addition to Europe, Canada and the U.S., Eco Wood Treatment has expanded its geographic footprint all over the world. Retailers in New Zealand, Australia, South Korea and Japan now sell the product. “The biggest challenge we face as a company is getting the product onto the store shelves,” MacNutt explains. “Once it’s in the stores, it’s a big seller.” The company also offers a colored version called Eco Wood Stain.

While Eco Wood Treatment maintains a strong presence on the West Coast in states such as California and Montana, MacNutt expects to see some major growth in the eastern U.S. in the near future. The company has recently been making progress in Boston, Connecticut and New York’s historic summer communities in the Hamptons. As a nontoxic, eco-friendly product, Eco Wood Treatment will continue to strengthen its presence in the industry as green building and sustainable practices increase.