News
Accoya planters showcased at RHS Chelsea Flower Show
BSW Timber’s revolutionary new wood product Accoya has proven its outstanding versatility around the home and garden after research revealed planters last up to 12 years before any need for re-painting.
The durability of Accoya has enabled Oxford Planters to invest in a new painted collection with the expert guidance of Lottie Radford, one of the country's leading paint effect specialists.
Accoya, which was supplied by Arnold Laver, has been used to create a series of planter finishes including aged, stressed and antiqued, all from the company's award-winning Oxfordshire workshop.
Oxford Planters will feature the Accoya planters at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in London from May 20-24.
John Alexander, of BSW Timber, said constructing the Oxford Planters from Accoya demonstrated the wide array of applications for the modified wood.
"The use of Accoya in the Oxford Planters reflects the tremendous versatility of applications for this revolutionary wood product, from around the garden to exterior cladding such as doors and windows. This demonstrates the demand for long life, low maintenance and sustainable timber options.”
Alex Calado of Oxford Planters, says the company was impressed by the durability and strength of Accoya.
“Accoya is a star performer in the Oxford Planters line-up. We secured an exclusive deal for the use of Accoya for the Oxford Planters range and we are delighted with the performance of the product.”
Accoya has represented the gold standard in exterior timber technology for decades. It is now available commercially and crucially achieves both sustainability and dramatically improved technical performance.
Commercial production of Accoya by Titan Wood, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Accsys Technologies plc, began last year at a new
30,000 m3 plant at Arnhem, Netherlands. The plant is the first of its type and represents a multi-million pound investment in capital and research & development.
BSW signed an exclusive agreement with Titan Wood to be the sole supplier of Accoya, across the UK and Ireland. This followed extensive collaboration between the two companies since Titan Wood's formation in 2003.
Accoya is the end-result of almost 80 years of global R&D and field testing in acetylated wood modification. This is the process that protects wood from rot by making it inedible to most micro-organisms and insects.
This patented process adapts sustainably grown softwoods by increasing the amount of acetyl molecules present in the wood. Pine wood has 2 per cent acetyl molecules, oak has 4 per cent and Accoya, has 20 per cent.
Wood decay organisms require moderate levels of moisture in wood. Accoya's permanent resistance to moisture prevents this decay without making it toxic.
The moisture resistance greatly reduces the wood's tendency to swell and shrink, making it less prone to cracking and ensuring that when painted it requires dramatically reduced maintenance
Since acetyl molecules are already present in all wood species, the process does not introduce anything that does not occur naturally in wood and Accoya, is therefore completely non-toxic.
Accoya enjoys excellent environmental credentials, using wood from sustainable plantations and being 100% non-toxic. Only naturally occurring wood compounds are added in the modification process. The wood's appearance, natural colour and strength of the timber are not affected in the process.
Industry experts have also supported Accoya's performance and sustainability claims:
Both the Building Research Establishment and Napier University’s Centre for Timber Engineering, Edinburgh, reported an unprecedented minimum 60-year service life for the product in cladding and external joinery applications.
Research published by the Timber Research and Development Association (TRADA) confirms the suitability of Accoya in meeting the 60 year life requirements for timber balconies and elevated decks as specified in the NHBC Standards.
The Paint Advisory Bureau has also published research findings that show Accoya windows are the most cost effective option over the standard design life of a building, outperforming PVC, hardwood and softwoods.
May 6, 2008
Of course, the simple answer is timber. But timber really is too small a word for everything we do. Hundreds of products, none of them run of the mill. We live it. And, if we could, we'd breathe it too.