Modern wood protection
By: Everything Cj
Tags: Future, Future Of Work, Home, Woodworking, Wood

Modern wood protection

One of the most modern ways to protect wood is the so-called modification of wood, which changes the molecular structure of the wood mass. Enzymes, chemical reactions or heat treatment are used to protect wood in depth from pests, insects and dimensional instability without the use of harmful chemicals.

Modern wood protection

Modified wood against the exotic

The increased interest in modified wood is due to changes in the wood industry. Legal restrictions on environmentally harmful coatings have encouraged investment in more environmentally friendly measures against wood decay, and development has also been fuelled by environmental awareness among consumers.

Wood has again become an important building material in the last ten years, and modification will also make an important contribution to its more sustainable use in the coming years. It could reduce the import of exotic wood, which is used in the external environment mainly due to good resistance.

Domestic tree species suffer more from dimensional instability as they contract in a dry environment and spread in a humid one. Their decomposition is accelerated by insects, fungi, moisture and solar radiation. Modified wood without harmful emissions solves most of these problems,

Extremely resistant, but less flexible wood

Thermal modification is the treatment of wood with high temperatures, which affect the strength and resistance of wood. We know a bunch of different techniques, all of which have in common that dry wood is kept in a vacuum chamber at a temperature of 160 to 260 degrees Celsius for at least a few hours, and certain procedures use even higher pressures and different levels of humidity.

Heat-treated wood loses its density and loses a lot of flexural strength. Therefore, it is not suitable for load-bearing structures and requires slightly more careful processing. You could say that wood is more fragile in terms of sensitivity to breakage and chipping, so it is recommended to process it with saws with small and dense teeth, drill holes before driving nails and the like. These changes are not so obvious at lower modification temperatures, where also the resistance does not grow to the desired degree.

Less need for protective coatings

Wood resistance is due to increased dimensional stability. In both thermal and chemical modification, the result is more dimensionally stable wood, which reflects more water. It is less burdened by the rapid change of dry and humid environment or occasional humidification in the external environment. However, this property must be taken into account when gluing and applying coatings.

Modified wood is not UV-protected and turns gray in the sun, so it must be coated with a suitable stain or decorative layer to preserve the color. In both coatings and adhesives, it must be taken into account that wood is more difficult to absorb water. Applying glue or paint is different, the drying time is also longer. However, due to the dimensional stability, the coating is more durable and requires less frequent renewal.

Less prized wood becomes something special

By modifying the wood, we achieve an increase in the resistance of the wood for the whole class. Modified spruce wood is comparable in resistance to untreated Siberian larch, which means that a relatively simple procedure and accessible tree species can to some extent replace another, less widespread type of wood.

Due to mechanical limitations, it is not easy to replace and even with the development of modification, Siberian larch will retain its reputation, but more options for long-term use will get some of the types of wood that have been inappropriate and overlooked, especially if we expect the price of heat treated the woods eventually fell.

Current prices per cubic meter can also be twice as high as untreated wood, making larger projects quite rare. But thermally modified wood is also interesting for stylish carpenters.

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