[Greenbuilding] wood vinegar as non-toxic wood treatment

Sun Jan 13 20:26:08 CST 2013

I am not a fan of linseed oil for exterior as it is attractive as a food –
so it blackens, mildews, etc. People argue about this saying it is stable
once it is catalyzed but its an oil with limited inherent anti-microbial
properties and in my experience in a moist environment it is just food for
biological activity.

Any coating on wood as a ‘preservative’ is sacrificial (even the toxic ones)
so it does come back to what the natural properties of the wood are.
Typically ‘wood’ exposed to air, some moisture and sunlight loses about a ¼”
of surface in a 100 years. Obviously if kept saturated or in humid
conditions other biological activity will hasten that. So if installed
nicely above soil levels and well aired most surfaces can survive. Problem
is they get grey and checked and splintery (that rugged look). So people
want to have some finish that keeps them looking newer. Ironically most
surface finishes can retain moisture so can actually hasten decay. Wood
moves and cracks so any finish will also crack and allow moisture, swelling
– further deteriorating the finish. You can’t guarantee a finish unless its
renewed.

Things I have had success with on untreated wood

-          Torching wood (literally burning it with a torch and brushing off
the loose fibres and then oiling), very beautiful finish with nice silvery
greys and recessed grain

-          Tung oil (good inherent anti-microbial properties) thinned with
turpentine (less toxic than citrus in my mind) for the first coat and
applied un-thinned for a second coat (can be mixed with different pigments
for some added sun protection)

-          Tung oil with a little zinc sulphate for moister areas (never
really noticed any improvement –but possible additional protection at lower
toxicity for the short term)

-          Tung oil with beeswax and turpentine (again a beautiful finish
with possibly some added anti-microbial from the beeswax but its mostly
about look)

-          Recently have done a project with pennofin verde as a packaged
product as a ‘safe’ finish that clients can renew easily (as it comes in a
package). Curious to see how it works over time (just an exterior/interior
finish with some uv protection)

Note – tung oil needs to be pure raw tung oil 

I am a fan of newer wood products treated with sodium silicate for extreme
wood protection (sill plates, etc.) but again I don’t think wood needs to be
exposed to extreme conditions or can be detailed appropriately.

-           

From: Greenbuilding [mailto:greenbuilding-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org]
On Behalf Of Brad Guy
Sent: January-13-13 12:06 PM
To: Green Building
Subject: Re: [Greenbuilding] wood vinegar as non-toxic wood treatment

I have samples of Accoya and tried to use it on a deck, however it was
impossible to justify the cost. It really does smell like vinegar.
Aware of the thermally treated methods, which are for new woods. Was hoping
for something we could apply to salvaged wood, whether soaked or sprayed. 
We could not duplicate a kiln, and although possible to send this wood to
one of those treaters, I imagine they want a large quantity and probably
charge large sum, not to mention shipping it there and back.
As I understand it boric acid is great except for the solubility, and it is
then the fixing of it that poses the problem..
The old time method of linseed oil and turpentine seems to come up, neither
are exactly benign.

Reclaim + Remake Symposium, April 11-13, 2013
http://architecture.cua.edu/reclaimremake
Registration Opens December 14, 2012

Brad Guy, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP BD+C
Associate Director
Center for Building Stewardship
Assistant Professor
School of Architecture and Planning
The Catholic University of America
Washington, DC 20064
c. 814-571-8659
GUY at cua.edu

  _____  

From: christian corson <chris at ecocor.us>
To: Green Building <greenbuilding at lists.bioenergylists.org> 
Sent: Thursday, January 10, 2013 5:52 PM
Subject: Re: [Greenbuilding] wood vinegar as non-toxic wood treatment

Haven't had a client that wants to afford it yet. There are other  products
on the residential market that are just as responsible but less coin. Like
Cambia.

As nice as Accoya is, it is a boutique veneer reserved unfortunately for
budgets like the Bullet Center ( not that it was used there) Its hard to
convince people to spend the money on plyboo and the like.

Spend the money on the shell, windows, and ventilation then tack on
$30,000.00 siding packages.

Sure is purdy tough.

c

Christian Corson
EcoCor Design/Build
 <http://ecocor.us/> ecocor.us
 <mailto:chris at ecocor.us> chris at ecocor.us
207 930-5088 

On Thu, Jan 10, 2013 at 5:14 PM, Philip Proefrock <architect at cornellbox.com>
wrote:

Are you thinking about things like Accoya treated wood?  They use a
process called acetylization, which uses acetic acid in a pressure
treatment application to produce weather-resistant wood; it's not just a
brush-on process.

Here's an article with some additional information (and a few images,
including a wooden road bridge made with this wood):

http://www.jetsongreen.com/2011/05/accoya-durable-nontoxic-exterior-wood.htm
l

>From what I understand of the process, it needs heat and pressure to
work; it's not just the presence of vinegar that provides the
protection.  But this is a pretty water-resistant material once it's
been treated.  It is used for a variety of exposed purposes.

Philip Proefrock, AIA

> Has anyone on this list ever used wood vinegar or any other kind of
> vinegar as a wood preservative/treatment ?
> If so, can you indicate the results and where you got it in the USA ?
>

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