COVER STORY
Wood: A cure for the
world’s ills?
By Leon Louw
There are several reasons timber is becoming more popular in construction.
However, using wood in any form, outdoors and indoors, requires a fair amount
of maintenance and treatment, Frikkie Greeff, managing director of Woodoc,
tells Timber iQ.
Many architects believe that timber is the building
material of the future. With climate change and carbon
emissions topping the agenda of most discussions
about the future of humankind, timber provides a solution that
is not only aesthetically appealing but also sustainable. Seen
from a green angle, timber structures would allow us to draw
carbon from the air and store it in our homes and offices.
One of the primary benefits of using timber, is that tons of concrete
do not need to be poured into the ground as foundations. Timber
buildings are a lot lighter than buildings made of bricks and mortar,
which means the gravitational load is significantly reduced. If
timber walls and timber floor slabs are installed, builders can also
reduce the amount of steel used in the main internal support and in
the reinforced concrete. Concrete is responsible for more than 8%
of the world’s carbon dioxide (CO 2
) emissions.
these are taken away, the wood is left to the elements and will dry
out and rot away. When trees are felled and turned into timber,
the bark needs replacing to protect the wood and so does the
natural sap that nourished it. Paint is one way to protect wood,
but at the price of hiding its natural beauty.
To showcase the natural beauty of wood, transparent wood
finishes are needed – wood finishes that last, protect the wood
But wood is not necessarily the magic cure for all the world’s ills.
Concrete will continue to be used globally, even if it is on a
reduced scale. The concrete- and cement sectors employ millions
of people around the globe, something that the timber industry
might not be able to do. There is also the ‘end of life’-question.
Carbon only remains trapped in the wood for as long as the
building remains standing or if the wood is reused. If the wood rots
or burns away, all the stored carbon is released again. The aim
should thus be to preserve, treat and maintain timber correctly,
using the most effective materials to prevent its early demise.
WOODOC PREVENTS THE ROT
According to Frikkie Greeff, managing director of Woodoc, it is
essential that the most effective materials are used to treat wood
products. The original Woodoc Sealers were formulated to penetrate
and nourish the wood and enhance its texture and beauty. “It is
especially important to treat wood in a country with a harsh climate
like South Africa. The adverse effects of the climate, together with
the deterioration of wood due to fungal and insect attack poses
substantial challenges that can only be addressed with correct
preservative- and protection treatment of wood,” says Greeff.
Wood is a living material. To preserve its natural beauty, it needs
protection from the elements and the effects of time. The wood in
living trees is protected by bark and nourished by natural sap. If
WOODOC
www.timberiq.co.za // OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020 7