Accoya and Tricoya

Accoya and Tricoya at Timeless Sash Windows:

What is Accoya®?

Accoya® is softwood, mostly radiata pine (but also some red alder), that is sourced from FSC sustainable forests largely in New Zealand. The timber goes through a process of acetylation in Accsys Technologies in Arnhem, the Netherlands, which alters the structure of the timber. This process is a patented technology and the waste product is acetic acid.

The resulting timber has the following properties:

It has excellent machinability, so it cuts very straight and smooth, like glass.
It is dimensionally stable so swelling and shrinkage are reduced by up to 75% meaning that doors and windows open and close smoothly all year round.
Its stability means that paint coatings last up to two times longer and are easier to apply.
It is rot resistant and the timber comes with a 50 year above ground guarantee.

Accoya® is a timber that competes with hardwoods, even oak. It allows you to choose timber windows that require less maintenance over time and it is a carbon neutral building material.

According to the conclusion of the European Conference on Wood Modification 2014 report The potential role of wood acetylation in climate change mitigation by Pablo van der Lugt , Joost Vogtländer , John Alexander , Ferry Bongers and Hal Stebbins: “These technologies enable abundantly available softwood to substitute tropical hardwood, and even carbon intensive manmade materials such as plastics, metals and concrete, further reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, they provide a powerful drive for reforestation as softwood species can now serve as input for high performance wood.”

Where does it come from?

The timber used in the production of Accoya® is mostly sourced from the pine forests of New Zealand and processed at Accsys Technologies in the Netherlands.

How much does Accoya® cost?

Accoya® is more expensive than comparable hardwoods.

Is Accoya® a Hardwood or a Softwood?

Accoya® is a modified Softwood that gives Hardwood performance in windows and doors.

Does the colour of the timber change during the process of acetylation?

No, the colour of the original timber remains largely unchanged.

What do you use Accoya® for?

At Timeless Sash Windows we use Accoya® where specified by the client, as the timber choice for the manufacture of new windows or as the splicing material in the refurbishment of old windows. At the survey, our adviser will explain the best timber options for your project.

What is Tricoya®?

Tricoya® is acetylated MDF, giving it class 1 durability and exceptional stability.

From the Tricoya® website “The effect of altering the wood’s chemical structure, as opposed to merely altering its chemical content, is essentially to create a new product that is modified right through the cross section. By contrast, other comparable treatments merely insert chemicals (such as oils, ammonia or metal compounds) into the wood, improving durability but not dimensional stability.”

What is Tricoya® used for?

At Timeless Sash Windows we use Tricoya® in door panelling.