If there is one thing we can all agree on is that Bermuda is a very humid place. Great for the nice year round weather but havoc on our houses and belongings. It’s hard to find materials that are stable and can stand up to the challenge.
Dimensional stability can be defined as the degree to which a material maintains its original dimensions when subjected to environmental changes. With many materials temperature and humidity are critical factors. In the case of wood, swelling in damp or wet conditions and shrinkage in dry, hot conditions can have unwelcome implications: windows and doors may jam or let in drafts; wood may warp or split, leading to insect degradation and more frequent maintenance cycles; structures may become unstable.
Accoya wood’s superior dimensional stability (resistance to swelling and shrinkage) matches or exceeds all the best species in the world, including Teak, Sapele, Iroko and Western Red Cedar.
Outstanding Dimensional Stability
Accoya wood offers outstanding dimensional stability in both radial and tangential directions (thickness and width) meaning that it has minimal swell and shrinkage and may be confidently used in applications where it will encounter varying moisture conditions – even in freshwater immersion.
Tests have shown a reduction in swelling caused by moisture uptake of 75% or more. From oven dry to water saturated conditions, the swelling and shrinkage of acetylated wood is only minimal and, in fact, better than tropical hardwoods.
Advantages of Dimensional Stability
– Reduced swelling and risk of jamming in humid conditions
– Better fitting windows and doors in all weathers
– Less frequent coatings maintenance
– Cladding that does not cup
– Floors and decks that stay level
– Decreased maintenance cycles
Extreme Conditions
Accoya wood has been tested over prolonged periods in all types of weathering conditions – above ground, below ground and in freshwater – and has been proven to withstand even the toughest and most challenging of environments. Even after a prolonged period of immersion, Accoya window frames operate smoothly, without jamming.
Accoya wood has been used for replacement windows in two lighthouse restoration projects. “The new windows have made a vast improvement to the property visually and in terms of energy and heat retention and have made a significant reduction in noise from the wind in such an exposed location.” David Shaw, owner, Belle Tout Lighthouse