Thermally Modified Pacific Hemfir Webinar

Thermally Modified Pacific Hemfir – Live Webinar – AIBC 1 Core LU

Pacific HemFir is a species mix containing Western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) and Amabilis fir (Abies amabilis) which grow together and are abundant in British Columbia. They are also marketed together as they have similar appearance and properties. Pacific HemFir is widely valued for its high strength to weight ratio, its clear straight grain, and warm honey-colored appearance. It is used extensively in construction, joinery, millwork, windows and doors, as well as for preservative treatment and industrial applications. Due to its relatively low stability and natural durability, untreated Pacific hemlock is generally not used in exterior applications where it may subject to biodegradation. However, thermal modification can be used to improve selected properties for Pacific HemFir. Key benefits include increased greater dimensional stability, lower water absorption, lower equilibrium moisture content, and increased durability. The extent of these benefits will vary based on the process used and the degree of modification targeted. These changes may make it suitable for use in exterior above ground applications such as siding, decking and fencing. The darker color may also be used to create visually interesting interior appearance projects.

Thermal modification describes several processes that are used to improve wood properties by exposure to elevated temperatures in low oxygen environments. Processes include open and closed systems, using steam or other media to reduce oxygen content, and various time/temperature profiles. Thermally modified wood is generally darker in color, more dimensionally stable, and more decay resistant than unmodified wood. It may also have some reduced mechanical properties. Modification processes aim to improve stability and decay resistance, while minimizing losses in mechanical properties

 

Learning Objectives

1. Learn about the characteristics of the Pacific HemFir resource
2. Understand the processes used to thermally modify wood
3. Understand the properties of thermally modified Pacific HemFir
4. Discover the end uses and limitations of thermally modified Pacific HemFir

 

For Registration please click the link below:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/w9jKed5kRBOkqk4tw0TNgA

 

Profile of the Speaker

Rod Stirling is manager of the biomaterials research team at FPInnovations, Canada’s forest product research institute. He holds a Ph.D. in wood science from the University of British Columbia and has worked in wood product durability research for the past 20 years. He has over 100 research contributions, including more than 30 refereed papers. Dr. Stirling is the Vice Chair of the CSA Technical Committee on Wood Preservation and Chair of the P6 Committee on Evaluation Methods within the American Wood Protection Association. Dr. Stirling is an Adjunct Professor at the University of British Columbia, Wood Science Department, and is the current president of the International Research Group on Wood Protection.