Norse treater christens alcohol-infused decking

I new wooD TREATTNc process that .f,Luses a type of alcohol instead of copper-based chemicals has arrived.

"Kebonization" is the result of research conducted by Dr. Marc Schneider, University of New Brunswick. Canada. in the 1980s and 1990s. Softwoods are injected with furfuryl alcohol, a byproduct of corn and sugar production, and then subjected to heat and pressure. The result is harder, more stable, and more resistant to water and weather damage than untreated wood.

"This technology provides a global eco-solution to the major environmental challenge of rainforest deforestation," says c.e.o. Christian Jebsen. "It can withstand harsh climates, and is ideal for both indoor and outdoor use."

Norwegian investors who wanted to develop and commercialize the technology got involved in 1997. A pilot production plant opened in Norway in2O03, and began supplying European projects-decking and piers, cladding and roofing, window frames, plus indoor flooring and furniturethe next year. In January 2009,alarger, full-scale plant was opened in Skien, Norway.

The decking currently sold in the U.S. is southern yellow pine domestically grown but shipped by container to Norway for processing. The company hopes to eventually open a plant in the U.S. Until then, Douglas Murray and his staff handle sales and distribution from an office and storage facility in Roanoke, Va.

Although most of the treated SYP is shipped back to the U.S., some is marketed as a premium product in Europe-along with similarly treated ash, beech, maple, and Scots pine.

According to Murray, the U.S. office has focused on large, municipal projects, mainly on the East Coast, where officials are faced with major renovations of aging boardwalks. He says that Kebony's environmentally friendly profile boosts local support for the costly renovations.

He also believes that the large projects will attract the attention of residential customers. "Private customers know that major projects go through a tough selection process with professionals," he says. "When the economy picks up, people can get the great new decking they've seen in public places."

Officials in Bethany Beach, De., selected Kebony SYP for its aging boardwalk after two years of fieldtesting and "nothing but positive feedback," according to Brett Warner, director of public works. Phase II of the renovations-including deck boards and railings-was recently approved, for an estimated cost of $200,000. The final phase is slated for next year.

Kebony SYP has also been installed on a 15-ft. section of the old boardwalk in Ocean City, Md "It's holding up really well," says Michael Datillo, city business administrator. "It's not splintering and it looks great. We're considering a larger test area."

Murray says that Kebony has been specified for 22 major new installations that will soon start construction. One example is Hunter's Point South in New York City, where an old industrial area is being transformed into an urban living complex. At this location, Kebony will be used for a new boardwalk, a dog park, and other amenities.

Looking ahead, Murray says that the company is "seeking to develop reseller relationships that can grow with the demand. " He has already forged one such alliance, with Nature Neutral, a green building dealer based in Charlottesville, Va.

"We became aware of Kebony after it was specified for a local project, by an architect who was looking for something classier than plastic or composite, but didn't want to use tropical hardwoods," says Kristopher Jensen, who handles sales at Nature Neutral.

The company supplied Kebony SYP for a recently completed l0'xl6' residential deck, and expects to supply the new product for two or three more deck projects this summer. "It's a good looking, natural product that holds up well," says Jensen. "A great addition to our inventory of green building products."

Another reseller is Mid Atlantic Building Supply, Ocean View, De., which shipped 3,000 sq. ft. of Kebony SYP for walkways and decking at a residential remodel in North Bethany Beach, De., just blocks from the renovated boardwalk.

"He changed to Kebony after seeing how well it held up after one year on the boardwalk," explains Brendan Welch, a broker at Mid Atlantic. "The architect had originally specified ipe for this project, but was interested in a sreener alternative."