Thermo Treated Wood

Presently, thermo treatment technology is conquering the world. Several thermo treating technologies were first used in the mid-1990s in Finland and France. The thermo-treatment market has continuously grown in Europe in the last 20 years. 

Moisture and heat balance in natural heat-treated wood is optimal, creating a unique microclimate. Such wood is a favored building and finishing material. No synthetic substitute can compete with its useful and unique properties.

To extend the service life of wood, a method has been developed to increase the resistance of sawn and planned wood products to the external environment. The most effective way to preserve wood today is through heat treatment. It is the most attractive natural product when installing outdoor terraces and finishing facades, as it lasts at least 20 times longer than ordinary wood. Finns are considered to be the pioneers of the method of heat treatment of wood. They used this concept to achieve stability in the material: after exposure to high temperatures, many types of wood become less sensitive to external factors.

According to research, the material has to go through several stages during heat treatment. Primarily, the wood is dried in 130 – 150 ° C heat chambers to bring its moisture content of it to zero. After that, the heat treatment is applied – wood is thermally hardened by raising the temperature to 190 – 240 ° C, pressure, and using water vapor. Finally, the wood is cooled by a water irrigation system. The temperature drops to 80 ° C and the wood is moistened again to 6%. During operations, the structure of a substance changes at the molecular level. Fibers and joints decompose from temperature and pressure. As a result, the surface becomes resistant to moisture, deformation, decay, and infestation by parasites and is less porous.

Heat-treated wood tolerates high-temperature extremes, humidity fluctuations and does not deform when it is raining or heating in the sun. Such way treated wood does not rot, does not mold, and does not breed insects. 

It lasts at least 20 times longer than ordinary wood because of its high surface quality, resistance to temperature fluctuations, stability, uniform shade throughout the material cross-section. Heat-treated wood changes colour and acquires a shade typical for only expensive varieties. It belongs to the “eco” category and emits a rich smell of wood.