Field tests of wood coatings in Maple Ridge, BC and Saucier, MS were evaluated. Coatings on spruce heartwood generally performed better than those on pine sapwood. All preservative treatments were associated with improved performance of coatings F1 and F3. Coating F2 was so degraded that there were no apparent differences. All of the protective pre-coats were associated with better coatings performance. In addition, pre-treatment with various plasmas was associated with better coatings performance, similar to that obtained with the protective pre-coats. Colonisation by black stain fungi was the predominant mode of failure for all coating at both test sites. Samples coated with F2 and F3 have largely failed; however, many samples coated with F1 are still in good shape. Samples coated with F1 should be re-evaluated after 36 months of exposure to improve estimates of service life and enable a full cost benefit analysis of these technologies.