Tag Archives:

thermal modification

California specifiers gather for social event at Newport Beach.

I had the pleasure of attending this “mix & mingle” event hosted by Fabrice Spies and his company SoCal Building Solutions. It was a great opportunity to display our products while meeting the professional specifiers face to face in a casual setting. Located at the Fashion Island Hotel the event venue could not have been […]

Thermally Modified Wood draws attention at 2019 International Builders Show

Las Vegas was the host city for the 2019 International Builder Show. Visitors from across North America and many other countries attended the three day exhibition. This show is one of the largest gatherings of building material exhibitors and attendees in North America. This years show was no exception. Attendee’s had a chance to see […]

Urban Wood Forum. A peak into the future of wood structures in urban centers.

I had the pleasure of attending a discussion forum on the advancement of wood structures being specified in urban areas such as the City of Toronto. The host of this event was Canada Green Building Council and sponsored by Upper Canada Forest Products. Guest speakers from the wood industry and architectural community provided insight on […]

What to consider when choosing wood over other siding options.

Wood siding has been a favorite for specification by Architects for many years. You could say that it’s the grandpa of architecture. Mainly installed with a rainscreen method it works to keep moisture out of the building while protecting the rest of the wall assembly. Wood is a natural product made from a renewable resource […]

Thermal Modification vs Torrefaction. Are there similarities?

Its a question that gets asked of me on a frequent basis.  Torrefaction of wood dates back to the Second World War. The technology was created to assist in converting biomass into a coal-like material to help achieve better fuel quality for combustion. Once biomass is torrefied it becomes dense and was commonly converted into […]

This woods beauty extends below the surface!

Thermally modified wood has some hidden secrets that need to be brought to the surface. Once wood is thermally modified it changes it’s genetic makeup but also transforms the woods internal color. At a specific point during modification when temperatures reach specific levels the woods lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose are effected which darkens the wood’s […]

Thermal modification, which is an emerging, chemical-free technology in the U.S., can add substantial value to wood.

The forest products industry is vital to the economic health of many regions of the U.S.; however, in many areas wood harvest volumes remain well below sustainable harvest levels, leading to some negative, cascading effects across the industry, such as lower economic returns from forest land and increased wildfire hazards.  One way to incentivize increased […]

At BUILD By Ben and H. Bee Architecture, our interests are aligned in finding new materials to work with and incorporate into our work.

Finding unique products to work and design with in any industry is an exciting and energizing discovery. It gives a renewed style and function that you can integrate into old ideas giving them new life, or to start fresh with and create a new direction of style all together. At BUILD By Ben and H. […]

Advancing Standards of Thermally Modified Wood in North America.

For those of us involved in the thermally modified wood industry continuing education and contribution of your time and expertise is key in advancing the awareness of thermally modified wood here in North America. Becoming an active member of AWPA allows us an opportunity to be involved in the process of standardization that will be […]

The greying effects on thermally modified wood.

Like all exterior wood products as the wood is exposed to the ultraviolet light it begins to breakdown the woods natural color and the wood begins to fade and then grey. All natural species of woods such as Ipe, Western Red Cedar, Pine, Douglas Fir ,including thermally modified wood, will naturally grey over time if […]