[Greenbuilding] Thermally Modified Wood

Gennaro Brooks-Church - Eco Brooklyn info at ecobrooklyn.com
Sat Jul 14 11:50:03 CDT 2012


Anyone have experience with Thermally Modified Wood?
Seems like good stuff but any time I see heating involved I always ask
if the energy consumption justifies the product.
Anyone know?

Got this from a site selling it:

"Thermally Modified Wood is produced using a technology that dries the
wood in specially designed kilns, to temperatures in excess of 400
degrees, in an oxygen-deprived atmosphere. Steam is introduced at
controlled times to control stability.

The result is an alternative to pressure treated wood with a cost
advantage over the more expensive exotic species and synthetic . While
thermally modified wood is ideal for outdoor applications, it is
suitable indoors as well, especially in high moisture areas.

The process of thermal modification causes chemical changes in the
wood on a molecular level producing a water repellant, decay resistant
wood that is hardened, yet light weight and dimensionally stable.
Naturally occurring wood sugars are converted to a form that is not
digestible by insects, and will not support the growth of mold or
fungi.

The resulting rich brown color is characteristic through to the center
of the piece, not just on the exposed surfaces. Over time, unfinished
wood components used outdoors will fade to a silver-gray due to UV
exposure. To maintain the original color of the thermally modified
wood, a high quality UV finish is recommended."

Gennaro Brooks-Church
Director, Eco Brooklyn Inc.
Cell: 1 347 244 3016 USA
www.EcoBrooklyn.com
22 2nd St; Brooklyn, NY 11231




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