Toxin-free “pickled” wood
The durability of ACCOYA® acetylated wood does not come from a mysterious technology, but rather a natural process.
People who hear the expression for the first time ask, “What is acetylated wood?” The architects, construction companies and customers that already know ACCOYA® will likely have a similar response: it is a wood that is very beautiful, authentically sustainable and unusually durable. To the point that its producers and distributors, such as GRUPO GÁMIZ, are willing to offer a written 50-year guarantee.
For all those who are creating every day, step by step, little by little, the reality of sustainable architecture, with an ecological drive and unlimited creativity and design, ACCOYA® acetylated wood is an unrivalled partner. A unique, sustainable building material achieved using natural technology with no toxic substances involved.
Europa Congress Palace | Arch: Alfredo Bengoa (Vitoria city hall) – Jesús Armedáriz (IDOM) | Product: Cladding of the exterior façade – Accoya® horizontal scantlings
What is acetylation?
Acetylation is basically a treatment that modifies the molecular structure of the wood, but that protects the whole part. In other words, it is a process to which the wood is fully subjected, not just the surface, and that is carried out without any toxic chemical components.
This method results in wood with superior dimensional stability, with a high level of resistance to cycles of stretching and shrinkage. As if that were not enough, this procedure makes the wood resistant to moulds and insects (termites, etc.), as they do not recognise the wood as food, thanks to this molecular alteration.
Residence in Manacor | | Arch: Brunet Architects | Product: Accoya® doors and windows
“Pickling” the wood completely naturally
To understand the treatment, as explained by the manufacturer, it is in principle very similar to pickling: submerging a food in vinegar to preserve it for longer.
Starting with pieces of radiata pine wood, they are dipped in a special “vinegar”, where the reagents are natural: carbon, oxygen and hydrogen. This action prevents the wood cells absorbing water, a modification that makes the wood particularly suitable for exterior projects due to its durability and beauty.
Oak House School | Arch: Trasbordo arquitectura y gerencia de construcción S.L. | Product: Ventilated façade – Accoya® tongue and groove units
Certified sustainable wood with a written 50-year guarantee
ACCOYA® wood comes from sustainable forests. This means that acetylated wood itself helps increases forestry biomass, in other words, natural plant-based renewable energy.
In addition, the acetylation process is so safe and effective that ACCOYA® provides a written 50-year guarantee. An infallible value for sustainable architecture projects and without unlimited imagination.
