From the earliest times, man has used wood as a building material. From houses to furniture, from doors and windows to decorative items, wood is integral to our lives. Wood is versatile and strong, and it looks so good if well finished.Why Wood Needs Protection?But wood is a living material. To preserve its natural beauty, it needs to protection from the elements and the effects of time. The wood in living trees is protected by bark and nourished by natural sap. If these are taken away, the wood left to the elements will dry out and rot away. When trees are felled and turned into timber, the bark needs replacing to protect the wood and so does the natural sap that nourished it.