Wood modification technologies:

Prospects for Australian production

July 2015

Elizabeth Dunningham & Rosie Sargent

Thermal Modification KilnImage © Scion

Akkerwinde Bridge, made of AccoyaImage © Courtesy of Achterbosch Architectuur and Onix

Thermally Modified ScreenImage © Locus Research

Outline

• Introduction – wood modification and requirements

• Status of wood modification technologies and their

differences

• Application of these technologies into Australia

Market opportunities

Advantages, disadvantages and unknowns

Options for Australia

• Conclusions & Recommendations

Thermally Modified Eucalyptus NitensImage © Scion

Presented via webinar to FWPA members by E Dunningham on 8 July 2015

Wood modification

• Definition:

Chemical, biological or physical

processes that modify wood to obtain

desired property improvements for

service life

Modified wood should be non-toxic

Mode of action should be non-biocidal

Research samples of

Modified WoodImage © Scion

Presented via webinar to FWPA members by E Dunningham on 8 July 2015

Wood modification review: scope

• Wood modification technologies only

• Technical literature and websites

• Application to Australia

Locally grown plantation species only

Prospects for local production facilities

Fit to Built environment and

Fit to regulations

Presented via webinar to FWPA members by E Dunningham on 8 July 2015

Eucalyptus Nitens PlantationImage © Scion

Wood modification: requirements

• High quality sawn timber

• Ease of processing (degrade)

• Unknowns:

Supply of suitable wood resource

Suitability of some hardwoods for modification

Accoya Boardwalk, Auckland City Council Image © Accoya.com

Presented via webinar to FWPA members by E Dunningham on 8 July 2015

Drivers for wood modification

• Lifting local species into higher value applications

• Low toxicity

• Improved sustainability

• Increasing consumer demands & desires

Accoya DoorImage © Paul Flint and Co.

Kebony Boathouse, NorwayImage © kebony.com

TM ScreenImage © Locus Research

Presented via webinar to FWPA members by E Dunningham on 8 July 2015

Global wood modification research

• Three main modification approaches

Thermal

Chemical reaction with wood polymers

Impregnation/polymerisation

• Other impregnation

Accoya JoineryImage © Paul Flint and Co.

Accoya JoineryImage © Accoya.com

Presented via webinar to FWPA members by E Dunningham on 8 July 2015

Treatment location

in the wood matrix

Lumens

Cell wall pores

Cell wall

Wood polymers

Presented via webinar to FWPA members by E Dunningham on 8 July 2015

Modification differences: Thermal modification

Green

KD

• Process: heat wood > 170oC without oxygen

• Species: wide range of softwoods and some

hardwoods

• Properties gained: stability, colour, options for durability

Presented via webinar to FWPA members by E Dunningham on 8 July 2015

Modification differences: Chemical reactions

Green

KD

• Process: impregnate anhydride into very dry wood

and react

• Species: pine

• Properties gained: very good stability & durability,

termite resistance

Presented via webinar to FWPA members by E Dunningham on 8 July 2015

Modification differences: Impregnation/polymerisation

Green

KD

• Process: impregnate monomers into dry wood and

polymerise

• Species: range of mostly softwoods

• Properties gained: moderate stability & possible durability,

mechanical

Presented via webinar to FWPA members by E Dunningham on 8 July 2015

Commercial modification operations:

Thermal modification

• Most prevalent current modification

• ThermoWood (uses steam)

• Plato (uses liquid water)

• OHT (uses oil)

Thermally Modified Radiata PineImage © Scion

TM, Finnish Nature Centre, FinlandImage © Outdoors Finland Etelä

Commercial modification operations:

Chemical reactions

• Acetylation most common

• Accoya® , TricoyaTM

• Previously Perennial Wood

• Other historic

Accoya Radiata PineImage © Scion

Accoya, Moses Bridge, The NetherlandsImage © M. Appelman.

Commercial modification operations:

Impregnation/polymerisation modification

• Many examples but most small scale

• Kebony (furfurylation)

Kebony Radiata PineImage © Scion

Kebony Boardwalk, Bethany Beach, USA Image © Elliott Plack

Market segments

• Traditional: Decking, cladding, windows, outdoor

furniture

• Specialist: Bridges, canal linings, specialist joinery,

high hazard (tropics), boats, kitchen utensils

Accoya, Akkerwinde Bridge, The NetherlandsImage © Jelle

Presented via webinar to FWPA members by E Dunningham on 8 July 2015

Application to Australia:

• Business:

Target product segments that are performance-

driven

Supply corporate clients in high profile projects

• Environmental:

Reduced toxicity

Increase product life

Reduced maintenance cycles

Reduced environmental impact & carbon footprint

Unknowns: direct comparison using Life Cycle

Assessments between modified & treated wood

Presented via webinar to FWPA members by E Dunningham on 8 July 2015

Application to Australia:

• Industry structures & cultural issues:

Need to work collectively to reduce risk of

introducing new technologies

Requires a “solutions approach”

• Regulatory issues:

Requires test data appropriate for the Australian

conditions

Difference between states

Unknowns: TM fit to H3 hazard class

Presented via webinar to FWPA members by E Dunningham on 8 July 2015

Application to Australia:

• Barriers to adoption:

Lack of key data for some technologies

Fire performance required (bushfire-prone areas)

Need for a high quality feedstock

Suitability of other Australian species

Differences between states

Presented via webinar to FWPA members by E Dunningham on 8 July 2015

Application to Australia: Technologies ranked

Three criteria:

• fit to built environment applications particularly

residential and light commercial construction

• greatest benefits (business and environmental)

• highest potential for success in Australia

Accoya Park Bench, BournemouthImage © Accoya.com

Image © Kebony.com

TM house, DenmarkImage © seier + seier

Presented via webinar to FWPA members by E Dunningham on 8 July 2015

Application to Australia: Technologies ranked

Modification Fit to built

environ’t

Benefits Potential for

Australia

Overall

ranking

ThermoWood®

with radiata pineM M M M

Accoya® M M-H L-M L-M

Kebony® M L L L

TMT with other

speciesM? M? M? M?

TMT with

additiveM? unknown M? M?

HartHolzTM (DMDHEU) M L-M M? L-M?Presented via webinar to FWPA members by E Dunningham on 8 July 2015

Application to Australia: R&D potential

• Feasibility studies

Supply of suitable timber resource

Location of suitable manufacturing operations

Price point & competition

Compliance to BCA & state regulations

• Longer term investigations

Lab-scale investigation (proof of concept, fill data

gaps)

Scale up trials

Presented via webinar to FWPA members by E Dunningham on 8 July 2015

Application to Australia: R&D potential

• Technology comparisons

A technology assessment model such as

WoodScape

Benchmarking to Australian standards

Fill gaps in environmental impact data

Machining demonstration of Modified WoodImage © Scion

Presented via webinar to FWPA members by E Dunningham on 8 July 2015

ConclusionsWood modification technologies give options to increase

value of wood products

• Immediate opportunity: Thermally modified pine

Unknown: ability to perform to H3 hazard class

• Longer term opportunities:

Thermally modified non-pine species

Thermal modification with additives

• Watching briefs:

Accoya

HartHolz

Kebony

Presented via webinar to FWPA members by E Dunningham on 8 July 2015

Recommendations

1. Feasibility study for thermally modified radiata pine

2. Investigation of thermally modifying other species

3. Consider implementing via vertically integrated

value chain

4. Investigation of thermal modification with additive

5. Technology comparisons

6. Environmental impact data comparisons

Presented via webinar to FWPA members by E Dunningham on 8 July 2015

Picture citationsSlide 1: Left: ThermoWood Kiln , Scion, Rotorua © Scion

Centre: Bridge near Sneek The Netherlands made from Accoya © Courtesy of Achterbosch Architectuur and Onix

Right: Screen made from ThermoWood. © Locus Research

Slide 2: Themally modified E. nitens by R. Sargent © Scion

Slide 3: Modified wood research samples, Scion

Slide 4: E. nitens plantation, Rotoaira Forest © Scion

Slide 5: Accoya Boardwalk, Auckland. From Accoya.com © Accsys Technologies

Slide 6: Left: Accoya Stained Oak Door by Paul Flint & Company is licenced under CC BY-SA 2.0

Centre: Naust på Aure, from Kebony.com © Pasi Aalto

Right: Screen made from ThermoWood. © Locus Research

Slide 7: Left: Glazed Frame by Paul Flint & Company is licenced under CC BY-SA 2.0

Right: Custom windows by Accoya © Accsys Technologies

Slide 8: Softwood structure by J.J Harrington and M. Harrington. © University of Canterbury

Slide 9: E.A Dunningham & R Sargent, Scion

Slide 10: E.A Dunningham & R Sargent, Scion

Slide 11: E.A Dunningham & R Sargent, Scion

Slide 12: Left: Luontokeskus Haltia by Outdoors Finland Etalä is licenced under CC BY 2.0

Right: Scanned Themowood board, by R. Sargent, © Scion

Slide 13: Left: Moses Bridge by M. Appelman is licenced under CC BY-SA 2.0

Right: Scanned Accoya board, by R. Sargent © Scion

Slide 14: Left: Photo by Elliott Plack is licenced under CC BY-SA 2.0

Right: Scanned Kebony board by R. Sargent © Scion

Slide 15: Untitled by Jelle is licenced under CC BY 2.0

Slide 18: Free clipart from Google Images

Slide 19: Left: Accoya Sessio seats for Bournemouth’s West Cliff. © Accsys Technologies

Centre: bbb low-cost housing, prototype, tegnestuen vandkunsten 2004-2008 by seier + seier is licenced under CC BY 2.0

Right: W&R tableware © Kebony

Slide 20: Table 1 from report

Slide 22: Machined and finished modified wood. © Scion

Presented via webinar to FWPA members by E Dunningham on 8 July 2015