The Indurite method of densifying softwood offers “significant opportunities” for use on UK timber species, a two-year £70,000 BRE study has concluded.
The BRE‘s report, which says the technology could open up new markets and help timber challenge competing materials, found the Indurite treatment significantly improves density, hardness, small clear bending strength and stiffness, machining characteristics and biological durability in certain species.
The research, funded by the Forestry Commission and Scottish Enterprise, shows a density improvement for UK-grown Scots pine sapwood and poplar of 28% and 18% respectively. Hardness is improved by 90% for Scots pine sapwood, while bending strength was boosted by 28% and stiffness by 60%.
BRE researchers said: “Opportunities to gain or regain market share are opened by the development and implementation of such product treatments, as are opportunituies to enter into new markets.”
Adverse affects discovered include brittleness and liquefaction of the cured solution in high humidity. The BRE says further development is needed to optimise the New Zealand-developed process, which adds a starch-based material to timber using pressure vacuum/pressure impregnation.
Osmose Europe, which has the UK rights to manufacture and supply the Indurite solution, welcomed the endorsement from BRE.
The company’s UK general manager Gordon Ewbank said: “Osmose is excited at the potential for this technology and is actively researching European markets at present, particularly the UK and France. We have had a good deal of interest but no treatment licences have been issued to date.”
Indurite, the trading name of London-based Wood Hardening Technology Ltd, is working with Osmose on marketing activities and will license companies to use its treatment process to ensure quality control.
