Description

This wood information sheet provides information about properties and end uses of the wide range of modified wood products available in Europe. It emphasises products available from suppliers in the UK at the time of publication. However, an increasing range of products is emerging, with most development work taking place elsewhere in Europe. The range of products available in the UK is therefore increasing.

The aim of this sheet is to introduce the principles of wood modification and make specifiers aware of the properties of these modified wood products. It will help specifiers select the most appropriate modified wood for a particular end use. One of the main drivers for wood modification has been to improve the decay resistance of low durability timbers including those grown in Europe. These timber species normally require preservative treatment to achieve desired service lives for many applications. However, a number of other beneficial changes to wood properties including improved dimensional stability may also result. These have increased both performance of wood products and the range of applications.