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A "New Wood Species" Arrived

By Aart van Bezooijen - March 5, 2009

in Materials

Accoya Wood considers itself a "new wood species" with properties that match those of the best tropical hardwoods, yet it eliminates the need for logging in our precious rainforests.

How? Accoya is able to process soft, fast-growing pine into long lasting durable wood with a non-toxic treatment. Their technology is based on wood acetylation that reduces the ability of the wood to adsorb water is greatly reduced, rendering the wood more dimensionally stable and, because it is no longer digestible, extremely durable.

Designer Michael Jantzen is already a big fan and used Accoya's wood to realize this M-Velope (photo), an interactive structure that can be turned into various spaces. With durable wood like this surely more fans and designs will follow!

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niq

15 years ago

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it's a fast growing softwood, so density should be around 450 kg/m^3, maybe rather even around 400. they also seem to have a beech based product. beech is around 600 - 700 kg/m^3. i think the treatment might increase the density a little but not significantly.
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Willem

15 years ago

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Does anyone know something about the density on this wood?
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Willem
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niq

15 years ago

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we tried that process at university. acetylation itself is an easy process but it has the disadvantage that the wood stinks like vinegar after wards which renders it totally useless for interior application. so they must have some trick in the process.
i would also imagine that hardness might be an issue since acetylation does not change this mechanical property and fast growing species are rather soft.
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