Have been doing some research on thermally modified wood and the name “ThermoWood” seems to be of significant importance. When thermally modified wood was first introduced as a technology to advance the durability and stability of exterior and interior wood products using thermally modified wood technology there was a vast array of comments that kept pointing to the significance of the word “ThermoWood”. Apparently not all thermally modified wood producers carry this designation.

Unfortunately the unlawful use of word “ThermoWood” occurs in marketing of thermally modified wood both in North America and Europe. It is very important for the users of thermally modified wood to know that the technical data published by the “International ThermoWood Association” is not valid for all thermally modified wood that is available in today’s marketplace. The use and marketing of the name is valid only for genuine “ThermoWood” products that are produced under strict quality control systems. Only the member companies of the Finnish ThermoWood Association have the right to use the registered trademarks.

In the standard class of Thermowood treatment, swelling and shrinkage of wood due to moisture, color change, and biological durability are emphasized as key components resulting in the desired outcomes of thermally modified wood processing. The International ThermoWood Association was founded in 2000. The aim of the association is to generally promote the usage of ThermoWood® products. Only members of the International ThermoWood Association are allowed to use the ThermoWood® trademark. Companies that are allowed to carry this designation are recognized for their continued commitment in working towards standardization, quality control, and research, in order to enhance the use of thermally modified wood products.

While researching for this article I found a company in Canada that sells Novawood thermally modified wood. The North American distributor is CFP Cladding & Decking. The Novawood company carries the designation of “ThermoWood” and is a member of the International ThermoWood Association.