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For more than 50 years, U-C Coatings LLC has been a leading supplier of environmentally friendly, water-based wood protection products, including premium SEAL-ONCE coatings and sealers for exterior decks, docks, fences, siding and more.
The U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree trailer needed a complete overhaul; all wood panels and wood elements on the trailer needed to be replaced. Because the trailer will be traveling across the country this year, bringing the tree from Wrangell, Alaska, to Washington, D.C., U-C Coatings saw the opportunity to rebuild but also protect the wood trailer with its SEAL-ONCE products.
Harvested from America’s largest national forest, the Tongass National Forest in Alaska, the 2024 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree will travel 4,293 miles, stopping at numerous towns and locations along the way.
“For over 10 years, the custom trailer that protects ‘The People’s Tree’ in transport and allows for community engagement has become interwoven with the excitement of the tour,” says Terry Baker, Society of American Foresters CEO. “While we have been able to conduct the necessary upkeep over that time, we are thrilled to have SEAL-ONCE step in to support the evolution and rebuilding of the trailer for the next 10-plus years. With this new national partner for the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree, we are excited to build on the great work before us in this effort and look to these new relationships that raise the awareness of trees, forests and forest products.”
The steel extendable flatbed trailer with a custom wood enclosure that is used only for the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree can extend from 60- to 80-feet in order to accommodate multiple sizes of trees. The custom wood panel enclosure is specially designed to be assembled to encapsulate the tree after loading while the steel trailer is fully extended.
“The SEAL-ONCE Marine Grade Premium Semi-Transparent Stain was the perfect choice for this project,” says Paula Barnes, U-C Coatings vice president of marketing. “The protection our product delivers will preserve the trailer’s durability and beauty for years to come. In fact, SEAL-ONCE developed a special unique Christmas Red stain, exclusively designed for the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Trailer that enhances the natural grain and beauty of the new wood. We prepared and provided 20 5-gallon pails to cover 15,000 square feet of wood.”
