In previous articles in this series we have looked at a number of hardwoods which provide an alternative solution or a different value to some of the most popular hardwoods used in the UK market.
Most of these alternatives have been so-called secondary species or they have offered a specific environmental advantage, such as FSC certification.
However, it would be short-sighted not to recognise that one of the other ways of finding an ‘alternative’ to solid timbers for some applications, is to take a closer look at the world of panel products.
In recent years, the use of veneered panels has replaced traditional hardwoods in a wide range of projects, especially in interior joinery, shopfitting and furniture, where the consistent, repeatable and predictable performance of a ‘manufactured’ wood product and its lower cost have proved appealing.
Today, there is a huge range of panel products to choose from and manufacturers are investing heavily in new processes and production techniques to create higher performance, added-value products.
This is clearly visible in products such as marine plywoods, which, as the name indicates, were developed for the shipbuilding and pleasure craft markets, especially for fitting out the interiors of quality yachts, where superb aesthetics were demanded in an environment that is naturally hostile to timber.
Products such as Bruynzeel marine plywoods are also finding much broader applications in other weather challenged installations, such as external cladding on buildings.
Carrying up to a 20-year guarantee, Bruynzeel marine plywoods are increasingly being used by architects and specifiers for innovative buildings which incorporate fully-exposed timber panelling, thanks to their natural, stunning appearance and unparalleled resistance to the effects of weathering.
The Bruynzeel range includes Garant gaboon A/B and Garant mahogany A/B, both of which are weather and water resistant, with a 10-year guarantee. Bruynzeel Suprahecht mahogany and Hechthout gaboon with A/A faces are also available and offer a 20-year guarantee.
One of the advantages of manufactured or processed timbers is the opportunity to add value during the production process and, with growing demand for the imaginative use of colour in interior design, one increasingly popular ‘alternative’ is the range of Valchromat decorative coloured MDF panels.
These moisture resistant panels have organic dyes added during the manufacturing process to provide a range of six attractive coloured panels which are also very easy to machine.
As the colour is added during the production process, the whole panel is coloured rather than just the outside skin or veneer, so even when it is machined the colour stays consistent.
In many applications, two or three different Valchromat coloured panels are used to complement or contrast with each other, giving free rein to the designer’s visual palette.
The high-density fibreboards are ideal for flooring, wall panelling and doors in shopfitting, furniture, office interiors, and other public use applications where high wear and tear is expected.
Finally, looking at some very unusual alternatives for specific ‘niche’ installations, the volume of new building and refurbishment work in hospitals and schools is opening up enormous potential for a very hygienic range of timber mouldings.
Unfortunately, many mouldings in public buildings become dust or dirt traps and the more ornate the moulding, the more cavities and spaces for dust and germs to be concealed, and with cleaning budgets and services under stress, the problem is not easily solved.
However, the new range of BioCote-treated mouldings, which are exclusive to Timbmet Silverman, design the problem out from the beginning.
Timbmet Silverman has agreed an exclusive UK-wide licence to treat its range of timber mouldings with the unique BioCote anti-microbial technology. This uses silver as its active ingredient to form an hygienic solution, which provides a reduction of up to 99.9% against most common bacterial fungi, helping to prevent the spread of cross-contamination and reduce the number of infections such as MRSA and E-coli.
The BioCote treatment is applied as an additive to the surface coating on the timber product and the finish is independently tested to demonstrate the effectiveness of the product. As it does not function the same way as antibiotics, to date, no bacteria have become resistant to BioCote.
Obvious applications for the range are hospital construction and refurbishment together with health centres, GP surgeries and dental practices but opportunities may also exist in crèches, schools, leisure facilities and other public facilities such as toilets and washrooms, where hygiene and avoiding cross-infection are important.
In summary, the world of wood products is becoming increasingly innovative and the number of available wood solutions to any architectural or interior application is increasing every day.
Although some traditional cabinetmakers and joiners will mourn the gentle decline in hardwood consumption, it is still an extremely healthy market for quality products and the inventions from the panels and engineered wood
sectors are more often competing with alternative materials, such as plastics, laminates and metals, rather than solid timber.
So, with the right advice and technical support, making the best choice is now a question of looking at a much wider spectrum of timber based solutions.
