Inspiration and Good Looks for Your Following Home Project

Find Out New Ideas For Your Following Home Project

If you are searching in order to upgrade your home’s exterior, consists of American hardwoods in the mix. New, eco-friendly treatment ways now cause hardwood an outstanding and great looking material choice for outdoor living areas. “American hardwoods within outdoor applications used to be taboo,” declares Linda Jovanovich of the American Hardwood Information Center. “These days, restrictions and considerations are distant memories, and hardwoods are confidently being set up outdoors as siding, decking, fences – you name it – thanks to non-chemical heat treatments that improve the dimensional steadiness and durability of this wonderful product.”

A method for success

Thermal modification is actually a non-toxic method that simply “cooks” wood in heat. While in the procedure, oxygen is removed out of the oven to avoid the wood from burning. The high heat – more than 400 F – creates a naturally durable wood which is permanently resistant against water, insects as well as rot. Bob Miller, director of sales and marketing intelligence at Frank Miller Lumber Company, claims that due to the course of treatment drastically reduces modified wood’s moisture content and limits its capacity to absorb moisture, products are more dimensionally constant – causing them to less prone to cupping, warping, expansion, and contraction with changes in humidity. “The method also takes out organic ingredients from wood’s cells, getting rid of a food source for insects and fungi,” Miller adds. “Simply put, thermally modified wood is actually a natural and healthy substitute for chemically preserved, pressure-treated wood. And it is affordably priced, too.”

At home in the outside the house

Productively used within Europe since the eighties, thermally modified wood has been slow to migrate to America. But, Scott Seyler, who deals with export product sales at Northland Forest Products, states that the durability and dimensional constancy of thermally modified hardwoods are major advantages that interest property owners who are checking out outdoor home-improvement projects. “With all that thermally modified wood offers, it is speedily becoming popular for siding, decking, trim, as well as flooring,” Seyler explains. “Depending on the particular course of treatment, locally sourced ash, poplar, maple, and also other hardwoods are performing just as well, if not much better than cedar, well-known imported species, and composite materials.”

Finishing it off

Along the thermal modification process, a rich chocolate color results, highlighting the wood’s natural beauty and also giving an expensive look. But just like any other wood, over time, if it is not sealed, thermally modified hardwood will naturally weather to a shade of gray due to exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays. “Most homeowners love the rich, dark shade of the modified wood, and decide not to apply a stain or to cover the grain pattern with paint,” claims Hal Mitchell, vice president of domestic sales at Atlanta Hardwood Corporation. “We do, however, endorse applying a UV-inhibitor sealant to all of the sides and ends of the wood, to maintain its hue and prevent graying.” He added that, “Since thermally modified hardwood is resistant to water, water-based finishes may not perform well. We have learned that oil-based sealants and finishes perform best. “I have a screened-in porch with tongue-and-groove flooring manufactured from thermally modified sweet gum,” Mitchell claims. “It looks wonderful and is performing well simply because it does not cup from exposure to the elements. The material is perfect for outdoor applications if closed properly. No other wood can do that based on my experience.”

Searching for ideas?

Consider adding ageless beauty to your home’s exterior with thermally modified American hardwoods. For more information, go to the American Hardwood Information Center at www.HardwoodInfo.com for design ideas as well as inspiration.