Enquiries into a “New” Wood – Accoya by Richard Colbran

Accoya is the trade name for a chemically-treated radiata pine which has improved rot-resistance and stabilty for out-door applications.

 The wood is acetylated, which diminishes its affinity for water, so that its change of moisture content with climate variation is much reduced, as its susceptibility to rot.

 There is a 25 year warranty on timber in water or in the ground, and a 50 year warranty for outside timber exposed to climatic variation.

 Outdoor hardwood carvings (oak, elm) have had to be replaced after about 10 years maximum irrespective of the finish applied, so this timber is of great interest, but how good is it to carve?

  A species of pine with a subdued stripy grain, it is firm and quite hard when carving across the grain, but rather splitty when cutting along the grain.  This means that extra thought must be given to direction of cut when carving.  Also, the summer wood, between the   stripes, is a bit crumbly in places, so tools must be sharp.  But the much higher resistance to decay makes it worth considering for any outside project.

 Being chemically treated means that the wood’s properties for application of glues and finishes are affected, but there is a wealth of information in the following links.

 https://www.accoya.com

 https://www.accoya.com/app/uploads/2020/04/Accoya_WoodInfoGuide-1.pdf

 I was lucky enough to be given a sample to try out, but the only supplier I have come across is the following

 https://www.woodshopdirect.co.uk/

 Advice on wood finishing was obtained from: https://wood-finishes-direct.com

 “Thank you for getting in touch with your enquiry. You could take a look at the Sadolin Extra Durable Clearcoat >>> https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/product/sadolin-extra-durable-clearcoat and exterior product that is close to the Sikkens in durability. 
​ I would recommend a test area first and allowing that test area to cure for a day or two, then check for good adhesion and you may find that wiping over with Methylated Spirits first may also help.
​ Osmo do recommend their products for Accoya and depending on the project, you could look at the exterior oils to use along side the WR Basecoat >>> https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/product/osmo-wr-base-coat again with test areas.”

 Picture of “Work in Progress” to illustrate the timber and carving result so far.