Modifed softwoods - The miracle materials of the 21st Century.
Recent marvellous commercial developments in the industrial modification of timber mean that fast-grown plantation softwood can, through a variety of totally non-toxic processes, be modified to perform better than any existing hardwood. With every prospect of replacing tropical hardwoods as construction materials, these truly renewable eco-friendly resources are set to change the face of an industry currently dominated by pvc.
* Acetylation works by adding additional acetyl molecules from commercial acetic anhydride during a patent kilning process in which the timber is hardened and becomes unable to absorb water. The resulting dimensional stability is remarkable, and the treated timber becomes, to all intents and purposes, a new species that machines as well as any hardwood and neither shrinks, swells, warps, nor rots in the most arduous conditions.
Acetylation was first proposed in 1928, and many attempts have been made over the intervening decades to devise a commercially viable process. A British Company - Titan Wood - has recently succeeded in this, and commercial quantities are becoming available from their Dutch processing plant at an affordable price. The long gestation period means that there is a great deal of test material to confirm the extraordinary performance in service. Our own TRADA has samples in its so-called ‘graveyard’ that enables them to support claims of a 60 year minimum life guarantee, while the stability of the material also extends the life expectancy of the applied finishes.
The industrial process results in a dried timber completely permeated by the process which extends right through the material. Unlike most other treatments, the subsequent machining of profiles removes none of the protection afforded by the process, yet there's nothing in the wood that isn't there naturally.
Lengthwise finger-jointing eliminates knots and reduces manufacturing waste. With a carbon footprint close to zero, and no restrictions on disposal of this non-toxic natural product, can there be any better material to use in the construction of architectural joinery? We think not.
* Furfurylation works in a similar way but uses alcohols (sugar) instead of acetic anhydride (vinegar) to achieve the same basic result, but with rather different effects on the softwoods concerned. This process, like acetylation, has been around for many decades, but getting it out of the laboratory and into commercial production has been a long and expensive process. Around in Scandinavia for some years, it is just becoming available in the UK. Worth watching.
Combine these new timbers with the technical benefits of the long established SupaWOOD window system, designed many years ago to drag window design out of the dark ages, and the name must surely now be truly justified - THE SUPAWOOD SYSTEM
Sounds too good to be true? Check out these independent reports:
Bangor University
Building Research Establishment
Recent marvellous commercial developments in the industrial modification of timber mean that fast-grown plantation softwood can, through a variety of totally non-toxic processes, be modified to perform better than any existing hardwood. With every prospect of replacing tropical hardwoods as construction materials, these truly renewable eco-friendly resources are set to change the face of an industry currently dominated by pvc.
* Acetylation works by adding additional acetyl molecules from commercial acetic anhydride during a patent kilning process in which the timber is hardened and becomes unable to absorb water. The resulting dimensional stability is remarkable, and the treated timber becomes, to all intents and purposes, a new species that machines as well as any hardwood and neither shrinks, swells, warps, nor rots in the most arduous conditions.
Acetylation was first proposed in 1928, and many attempts have been made over the intervening decades to devise a commercially viable process. A British Company - Titan Wood - has recently succeeded in this, and commercial quantities are becoming available from their Dutch processing plant at an affordable price. The long gestation period means that there is a great deal of test material to confirm the extraordinary performance in service. Our own TRADA has samples in its so-called ‘graveyard’ that enables them to support claims of a 60 year minimum life guarantee, while the stability of the material also extends the life expectancy of the applied finishes.
The industrial process results in a dried timber completely permeated by the process which extends right through the material. Unlike most other treatments, the subsequent machining of profiles removes none of the protection afforded by the process, yet there's nothing in the wood that isn't there naturally.
Lengthwise finger-jointing eliminates knots and reduces manufacturing waste. With a carbon footprint close to zero, and no restrictions on disposal of this non-toxic natural product, can there be any better material to use in the construction of architectural joinery? We think not.
* Furfurylation works in a similar way but uses alcohols (sugar) instead of acetic anhydride (vinegar) to achieve the same basic result, but with rather different effects on the softwoods concerned. This process, like acetylation, has been around for many decades, but getting it out of the laboratory and into commercial production has been a long and expensive process. Around in Scandinavia for some years, it is just becoming available in the UK. Worth watching.
Combine these new timbers with the technical benefits of the long established SupaWOOD window system, designed many years ago to drag window design out of the dark ages, and the name must surely now be truly justified - THE SUPAWOOD SYSTEM
Sounds too good to be true? Check out these independent reports:
Bangor University
Building Research Establishment
the greenest option
