The two-storey 60m2 structure, which doubled as a seminar theatre and the base for the Home Builders Federation (HBF) buyers’ forum and networking events, was erected in just one-and-a-halfdays and has attracted interest from prospective purchasers.
Frame Wise sent out a large number of invitations to construction professionals and said the HBF’s forum had been very good.
"We needed something to stand out and it does, said Frame Wise managing director Simon Orrells. "It had to have that ‘wow’ that puts timber on the map. People think you still have to go to other materials to meet standards but we have eight different wall solutions in the house.
"The house is gives confidence for the timber industry which grows business for everyone." "The quality of people coming through has been very, very good," added Adam Holmes, Frame Wise’s sales development manager.
"There have been contractors and specifiers and a lot of social housing providers."
The structure showcased Frame Wise’s Wise Wall, a timber panel system achieving a U-value of 0.11W/m2K,, Boise Cascade I-joists, as well as glulam framing, combining with CLT and regular timber frame panels to demonstrate how different types of timber structures can work together.
UK glass wool manufacturer Superglass’ new timber frame party wall roll and its timber and rafter roll 35 (used in the Wise Wall) were also displayed, along with Cellecta’s ScreedBoard 28 acoustic flooring.
Architect’s core values
Architect David Blaikie was promoting his new e-Core system on the Scottish Forest & Timber Technologies stand.
e.Core is an off-site manufactured service core for volume housing.
Described by Mr Blaikie as a "drop box", e.Core is constructed from nailed, stacked planks, developed in collaboration with Edinburgh Napier University, that can accommodate all the building services that a dwelling needs.
"It’s very low carbon and is optimising C16 Scottish-grown timber," said Mr Blaikie. "And because it’s a solid timber box it forms a central structural hub within the house which resists shear loads. This allows the external frame to be reduced in specification so it is lighter." Mr Blaikie is hoping a national housebuilder will adopt the system.
Osmose catches the eye
Osmose highlighted several new products for 2012.
As part of the evolving Celcure brand family, this autumn Osmose will be offering the fencing sector a new preservative formulation, based on a powerful combination of active ingredients – high copper content plus three co-biocides.
Osmose has also developed the Protim Frameguard low pressure treatment system to enhance flame spread performance in framing timbers, both during and after the construction phase of building. Protim Frameguard has UKTFA ‘FR Build’ approval. This is being offered as a service treatment by Crown Timber plc. Osmose has also successfully launched a new exterior grade fire retardant technology for cladding this year – Exterior Fire X is a leach-resistant system, suitable for all outdoor wood applications, and is being offered as a service treatment by PTG Treatments Ltd.
In May, Osmose announced a new partnership with Guard Industries of France. Its advanced colouring systems for cladding and architectural joinery offering a wide range of colours seemed to catch the eye of visiting specifiers.
Accoya gathers awards
Accsys Technologies, manufacturer of Accoya modified timber, was celebrating a winning streak – and there was more to come.
At the Royal Institute of the Architects in Ireland annual convention it was not only named the Best Exterior Building Product, it also carried off the Architects’ Choice Award for the overall winner of the show. The judges described it as "the future of wood", adding that it offered a new range of possibilities for exterior applications for timber.
And at Timber Expo it won the Supreme Award for Innovation.
On the stand Accsys exhibited Accoya cladding, decking, windows by Westgate Joinery and a construction-grade glulam arch from German company Schaffitzel. It also featured a Westgate Joinery Tricoya and Accoya exterior door which carries a 50- year product guarantee, and a 10-year guarantee on the coating.
There were also displays to demonstrate Accoya’s durability, water resistance and stability – and one that showed how Accoya stood up to 99 days of being subjected to "the world’s most aggressive termite".
"Termites don’t recognize Accoya as a food source – it’s 22 times more resistant to termites," said director of sales and marketing Bryan Crennell.
SAM in full finish mould
An expansion into fully-finished MDF mouldings and the company’s first exterior product were the news at Sam Mouldings.
The Northern Ireland-based MDF mouldings manufacturer launched the full paint finish mouldings to add to its primed, PVC-wrapped and veneered products.
"It means no more painting on site," said regional sales manager Craig Buchanan.
"We feel everyone is trying to save money, so we think fully finished is the way it’s going." Getting its first airing was SAM Tri-Max, a fully-finished Medite MDF Tricoya modified wood panel moulding for use as exterior cladding.
Plantation teak decking proves an attraction
FSC-certified plantation teak decking was one of the most visually attractive wood products on show at Timber Expo.
Teak Austria displayed deck boards, sawn timber and flooring from the material which is shipped as logs from Costa Rica to the company’s processing facility in Austria.
The company was exhibiting in association with Czech partner company PMH and on the lookout for UK timber distributors to take the product on board.
Teak Austria’s deck boards are supplied 20mm thick and 80mm wide in fixed lengths, along with a special board fastening system.
