The effects of preservatives used for glue-line treatment on the curing of phenol-formaldehyde resin (PF) were studied by dynamic mechanical analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. Storage modulus, G, loss modulus, G, and loss tangent, tan , of PF with and without preservatives were recorded as a function of time under isothermal heating. The time required for G, G, and tan to reach steady values increased with addition of preservative. The G, G, and tan curves of PF containing benzyl alcohol (used in the preservative as a diluent) were almost identical to those of PF containing preservative. However, the addition of antitermite and anti-fungal compounds alone had no effect on the curing process. There were no differences in total reaction enthalpy or dependence of activation energy on degree of conversion between pure PF and mixtures. Our results indicate that benzyl alcohol in preservatives plasticizes the curing system for PF. (c) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013