Accoya, the world-leading modified wood, manufactured by Accsys Technologies, has been used in the construction of a large beach development on the Belgian coastline.
Van Steenberge supplied Accoya for the property, which was finished in 2013 and is located in the De Haan area of Belgium on the North Sea coast.
Given the exposed location of the property, builders Verhaeghe Algemene Bouwonderneming wanted to use a more durable alternative to traditional western red cedar.
Accoya, is one of the most advanced wood products on the market, providing the ideal alternative to tropical unsustainable hardwoods. Accoya is modified through to the core using Accsys’ proprietary wood acetylation technology.
During the acetylation process, the chemical structure of the natural wood is altered resulting in outstanding levels of dimensional stability and world leading Class 1 durability. Combining ease of machining with performance that outstrips that of tropical hardwoods, Accoya also boasts excellent environmental credentials by using wood sourced from FSC certified and sustainable forests – while being 100% non-toxic.
Over 330m2 of Accoya wood was used to the clad the exterior of the property. The use of Accoya allows the building to withstand the winter storms and gales which the area is prone to. Accoya’s application also comes with a 50 year guarantee when used above ground.
Bryan Crennell, Director of Sales and Marketing at Accsys Technologies, said; “Accoya wood provides designers and architects with a high performance and sustainable alternative to traditional wood products.
"The use of Accoya allows items to be designed and constructed with confidence that they will live up to the elements they face. Accoya is perfect for this application and we regularly test its performance with external institutes and agencies to ensure it is durable, stable and able to withstand rot or decay in normal and extreme locations.”
