Accoya
Accoya is a modified wood made from Radiata Pine, a fast-growing softwood species, sustainably sourced from managed forests. This high-tech wood is modified using a non-toxic process that penetrates from the surface to the core, resulting in a durable, stable and beautiful material that surpasses the performance of tropical hardwoods while maintaining industry-leading environmental credentials. Accoya® is suitable for a wide range of external applications, including cladding, tongue-and-groove, cills and thresholds, and more. It is highly resistant to rot, decay, and insect attack, and has an impressive lifespan of up to 25 years in external applications. The wood has a uniform light straw color that can be stained or painted to match any desired aesthetic. Accoya® is an ideal choice for a range of outdoor projects, offering superior performance, durability, and sustainability.
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Material Type:
Modified Woods
Durability Notes:
Accoya wood is as durable as the best tropical hardwoods. An excellent performer in both durability and dimensional stability. It also paints extremely well.
Properties:
EN 113 Class 1 (the highest rating; comparable to the best teak). Accoya ® Wood acts as an effective barrier against a broad spectrum of fungi including cellar, wet rot, dry rot, soft rot, white, brown and pore fungi. Verified by the American Wood Protection Association (AWPA) E10 test. Accoya ® wood is warranted against rot and decay for 50-years above ground; 25-years in-ground/freshwater.Accoya ® wood is indigestible by a wide range of pests and insects (including termites), resulting in an effective barrier to attack. Verified by AWPA E1 test.Accoya ® wood is high performance wood: equilibrium moisture content is significantly lower, hardness is increased, bending strength and stiffness is retained and the thermal conductivity is reduced resulting in improved insulation characteristics
Typical Uses:
All exterior applications including windows, doors, decking, cladding. Acccoya wood's high strength to weight ratio also makes it suitable for challenging external applications, such as road traffic bridges. We have known it to be used to construct complete bus shelters and left unfinished, reducing (or nearly eliminating) maintenance and providing a durable long term solution to similar external structures.
Moisture Content:
Below 8% KD
Sustainability:
Extremely sustainable.
Wood Worker's Thoughts:
Care needed as open ends can chip but very nice to work. Finishes like the inside of a mouse's ear! Grain does not lift even after applying a finish. Only slight downside is that it is porous and if being used in a door, window or for a water repelling application you will need to ensure that the decoration is complete (once decorated it is great - due to the porous nature the coatings perform very well). If you have a secondary moisture barrier or it is used as a decorative, protective application to a building façade for example, then it's perfect (even unfinished) due to the performance properties.
Commonly asked questions about Accoya ® Wood
Is Accoya ® a hardwood or a softwood? Accoya ® is a modified wood. It is the same for; is Accoya ® hardwood or softwood? - Accoya ® is a modified wood.
Most groups/families of species share the same characteristics but this normally relates to their life as plants. Individual species do not always share the same characteristics as their relatives, in terms of the wood. Many factors influence how we use the wood and what we use it for, including where it grows, how it is forested, how it seasons/dries, etc. The answers to the following common questions, therefore relate to this particular species/wood and not the Accoya family as a whole. Even more specific – our answers relate to the wood (as we know it) in its form as a useable resource.
What colour is Accoya ®? Accoya ® can be described as light brown, white/cream (very light brown)
Is Accoya ® good for outdoor use? or is Accoya ® good for exterior use? Accoya ® is most suited for exterior/external use. Accoya ® can be used as an exterior/external timber (without treatment).
Whether the wood is naturally durable or not we would still recommend that it is decorated and/or coated with a suitable product to provide protection and/or maintain its appearance. This even applies when using the wood internally as, even subtle, changes in temperature or humidity will affect the wood. This will depend on the application/purpose of the wood and the user’s desired appearance. We also recommend that a recoating, care and maintenance programme is adhered to, for the life of an exterior wood. Wood cannot rot if it is kept dry – coatings and decoration can provide this protection. All of that said there are many durable timbers that are often left to weather naturally and will last for many years untreated/coated – movement and visual changes will occur but this is sometimes the desired effect. All wood is hygroscopic (it 'wants' to be in tune with its environment) it will therefore take on water from moisture in the air (or when directly exposed to or submerged in water) and ‘release it’ when dry or exposed to heat. This, inevitably, results in movement and dimensional change. For more about moisture in wood please click here - Moisture in wood
If you are looking to make something out of Accoya then visit Wooduchoose for multiple quotes tailored to your needs. Visit Wooduchoose
WooduWeigh is a real time calculator that uses a wood density algorithm that allows you calculate the weight of any quantity of Accoya timber. Visit Wooduweigh
