PVC soffits, fascias and bargeboards could be replaced by weather-resistant wood fibre substitutes if a research project under way at the BRE proves successful.
The government-sponsored initiative – jointly funded by Bovis Homes, Wood Panels Industries Federation, Willamette Europe, Balcas Ltd, Nexfor Forest Products, Minster Composites and Aperture Technology – is looking to develop hard-wearing, minimum maintenance wood fibre roof line products.
The project is over half way into its two-year duration and the alternative wood fibre products are being laboratory tested at the BRE. A key requirement of the new products is that they have service lives of more than 20 years and are better for the environment than alternatives.
Director of the BRE’s centre for timber technology and construction Dr Peter Bonfield said: ‘Roof line products are another traditional timber market that has been lost to PVC. We’re looking to come up with the next generation exterior quality wood fibre product that can outperform PVC.
‘This is a really exciting development, if we can crack this market it opens up new opportunities in other markets that have been lost to PVC.’
Dr Bonfield said PVC markets such as that for exterior cladding would be ripe for development by wood fibre substitutes.
Best practice guidance on how to select, fix and maintain the new products will be completed by the end of January 2002 and the technology will be presented at a workshop in early spring 2002.
