As anyone who knows me can attest, I am a lousy joke teller. I am impatient and simply can’t drag out the story line to create suspense. With that said, let’s jump straight to the punchline, Accoya® has been tested to match or exceed properties of the best tropical hardwoods AND treated woods. All this goodness is manufactured using wood from sustainable sources, not by destroying the rainforests. OK, blog over, see ya’ later.
This is a story that is bigger than the punchline. There are a lot of good details that go beyond the obviousness of the value that it offers. We need to dive into what Accoya® is and details about how specifically it is better.
Radiata pine is a fast-growing wood which reaches maturation in about twelve years. In tree-years, this is lightning speed. When it was introduced into the woodworking industry a few decades ago, it was thought to be a miracle wood. However, it proved to be a problem because it was not stable and twisted way too much. The economic benefits of it caused research to focus on ways to improve its performance. Enter the acetylation technology pioneered by Accsys Technologies. Removing the scientific mumbo-jumbo, the wood is treated with a 100% natural vinegar solution that thoroughly soaks into the entire log. This treatment turns the buggy wood without treatment into a wood that is stable, toxin free, and bug resistant.
There is such a body of testing on this process that you are assured that it will last 50 years above ground and 25 years underground without rotting. That means that it doesn’t have dramatic swell and shrink cycles like other woods when the humidity changes or during seasonal transitions. Another benefit of the acetylation process is that it is not digestible by insects so there is no worry about these pests burrowing out a home for themselves.
The surface of Accoya® also accepts stains very well. It also holds paints for longer without peeling than any other wood product. The sun might do some fading as it does to all paints, but it just won’t peel off because of bad pretreatment or migration of absorbed moisture. This is a huge benefit for all outdoor applications. What I am describing is a miracle wood, yet it is still not very well known to the architectural and construction communities.
There are some rainforest hardwoods that hold up well to weathering like mahogany and teak, but mother nature is subject to variations. Not every part of every naturally grown tree is created equal. Since there is a presumption of the performance of these species, there is generally no testing of them to ensure performance. Since Accoya® is wood with a non-toxic treatment on every board, it can be tested and measured every time to guarantee you that it will perform as promised. Try to get a guarantee out of Mother Nature.
2Fold® has consciously chosen to use only Accoya® as its interior material to bring warmth, beauty and certain life cycle to our doors. If these attributes don’t interest you, we can use another species of wood, but you will have to accept full responsibility for the outcome. You have been warned. Please check out how 2Fold® had developed the perfect solution for thin framed, glass doors that are environmentally responsible.