Thermally Modified Wood

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Thermally modified wood products, mixed grain & vertical grain for rough & finished products using Hemlock & Douglas fir clear lumber as well as various hardwoods.

PowerWood produces and stocks thermally modified wood – sometimes called thermally modified lumber or ThermoWood®.

ThermoWood differs from standard timbers in several ways:

• Reduced swelling and shrinkage due to moisture
• Enhanced dimensional stability
• Better biological durability
• Darker colour (through-stained)
• No resin
• Lower thermal conductivity

Unmatched Capabilities: Premium Thermally Modified Wood Supply from PowerWood

At the PowerWood Facility in Agassiz, BC we have an extensive wood supply and plant capacity. This allows us to seamlessly fulfill orders across a comprehensive spectrum of vertical grain thermally modified wood and mixed grain thermally modified wood, encompassing both western hemlock and douglas fir. With a range of clear grades available, we can produce custom patterns and job lot tallies for all of your architectural ThermoWood needs.

The thermally modified lumber produced at PowerWood is available to be run to one of our many patterns and can be pulled to the specified tallies our customers have grown accustomed to having available from PowerWood.

What are the best uses of Thermally Modified Wood?

While thermally modified soffits, thermally modified fascia and thermally modified decking are all available, the primary end use for thermally modified wood is as thermally modified wood siding which looks great and performs well in all climates.

Green Process

Using only heat and steam – with no added chemicals during the process – we offer you a green alternative solution.

The costs of these high-quality products are competitive or even advantageous to similar wood products and they are more environmentally friendly than using old-growth cedar or tropical hardwoods.

Long known for our ability to get your “Custom Cedar Done Right”, Power Wood is poised to be a leader of “Custom ThermalWood Done Right”.

Thermal Modification Processes

Ordinary wood is transformed by Thermal treatment utilizing only heat & steam.

Thermally Modified Wood and Its Manufacturing Process

Thermally modified wood products are defined as woods that have been dried at high temperatures to reduce average moisture content to near zero.

The input wood products are typically kiln dried using a conventional lumber kiln drying process. The kiln dried wood is then stacked inside a thermal modification chamber and heated above 210 degrees celsius in a controlled pressure and humidity environment.

The controlled atmosphere removes nearly all moisture from the wood and the wood’s chemical structure changes while removing many of the natural sugars and organic compounds that are normally present in the wood. It changes from hydroscopic – meaning it absorbs water – to hydrophobic – meaning it repels water.

Decay and Insect Resistant

Subjecting the wood to high heat chemically alters sugars, rendering it unattractive to harmful insects and creating a barrier against decay from humidity and water damage. Ideal for both outdoor and indoor applications where high humidity is prevalent.

Moreover, it can be easily machined into various products such as thermally modified siding, thermally modified fascia, thermally modified decking, and other custom patterns. In essence, thermal wood stands as versatile as cedar or any other softwood, allowing for the manufacturing of a diverse range of high-quality products.

Vertical Grain Thermally Modified Wood

The bellwether of thermal wood Softwood.

Vertical grain thermally modified wood is PowerWood’s primary stocking item of thermal wood. Vertical grain produces a more consistent product with less visible defect and a lower potential for expansion and contraction over time.

Maximizing Stability: The Choice for Superior Thermally Modified Wood Products

While thermally modified wood is much more stable and less likely to expand and contract over time than more traditional wood products, it is important to note that it is still wood, so choosing the most stable product will yield the best results. We target dense grain hemlock as our primary input for this product line. We also use vertical grain douglas fir and, as a lower cost alternative, vertical grain balsam.

Mixed Grain Thermally Modified Wood

Cost effective high quality thermal wood building material.

Mixed grain thermally modified wood is a less expensive option from vertical grain and will produce a more varied look which is desirable in some applications. Taken from mixed grain hemlock, balsam and douglas fir, inputs are much less expensive than their vertical grain counterparts.

As these products can be challenging to work with prior to being thermally modified, we get an excellent improvement in the value of the product when we do modify them.

Versatile Finishing Options

These look great with a transparent stain or “silvering” application but can be a great candidate for paint grade or solid color stains.

Thermally Modified Hardwoods

Certain hardwoods are also available from PowerWood as our ThermoWood product:

Ash
Oak
Maple

These beautiful hardwoods can be expertly manufactured any way you like it with our custom patterns.

Where do I find thermally modified wood?

In British Columbia and a few other select regions, PowerWood will sell direct to contractors and users. Outside of this region, we have a broad network of distributor and retailer partners in North America and around the world. Get in touch with our thermal wood experts today to get a quote or some sound thermal advice!

Want to Customize Your Thermally Modified Wood?

PowerWood can manufacture any profile of Thermally Modified Wood from standard book patterns to unique profiles for a single use – cut to order for your special requirements.