Kurawood launch VECOwood the hardwood alternative

Edited by the Buildingtalk editorial team Nov 2, 2007

Kurawood launched range of wood products crafted from VECOwood, the world's only softwood that has been organically modified to match the beauty and performance of hardwood.

The announcement was made on at Interbuild 2007, the UK's building trade show.

VECOwood is created by impregnating timber with a simple organic, proprietary non-toxic formulation that, once cured inside the timber, adds colour and strength all the way through to deliver performance usually associated only with hardwood timber.

"Builders have always favoured hardwoods such as oak and mahogany because of their durability and natural beauty".

"But this demand has had a devastating effect on tropical forests," said Roy Tilleard, chairman of Kurawood, plc.

"Now we are offering a real alternative that gives all the benefits of hardwood without plundering the environment".

Only sustainable fast-growing plantation timber is used to make VECOwood meaning that there is an almost endless supply of premium timber to craft Kurawood products.

VECOwood can be created from a number of timber species and only sawn and graded timber is used.

The formulation used to create VECOwood is based on simple organic compounds which have none of the harsh side effects of many timber treatments.

In addition, VECOwood's manufacturing methodology means that Kurawood products have:.

a distinctive knot-free finish.

unparalleled consistency in weight and colour.

superior performance to many traditional species, so you get cherry with the strength of oak.

improved dimensional stability due to moisture resistance.

superior finish due to improved ability to glue, machine and coat the wood.

The VECOwood process consists of a non-toxic water-based and water thin formulation which is impregnated into the timber.

The VECOwood formulation, consisting of a natural vegetable oil and resin together with other modifiers and polymerising agents, forms a rigid, insoluble polymer within the wood cells which mimic and enhance the properties of the source timber.

The impregnated timber is then kiln dried at specific rates for the VECOwood formulation to cure.

As a result, a number of physical and aesthetic properties of the wood are improved as the formulation reacts with the timber chemically.

These include dimensional stability, hardness, strength and machineability among other benefits.