Accoya wood is one of the popular options for an outdoor deck. Many people are praising its longevity and sustainability. As an outdoor deck, this wood gives out a gorgeous color and is also compatible with most types of finishing.
However, this wood can be costly to install. Compared to a hardwood deck, you may have to spend more for installation.
But does this wood holds up to the claim? Let’s find out if Accoya wood decking justifies its high installation price.
What is Accoya Wood decking?
Accoya wood doesn’t refer to a specific tree species. On the contrary, it is a brand name of processed wood. A company in the Netherlands, Accsys, created the Accoya brand.
They converted selected softwood and put them through an acetylation process. This process changes the wood structure on a cellular level and gives it more properties to ensure its durability.
Each wood has free hydroxide groups that are responsible for the wood’s ability to absorb and retain moisture. This natural element is why wood contracts and expands when you expose them to nature.
In some woods, this can be very volatile. But with acetylation, you don’t have to worry about any of this.
The process is soaking the softwood in an acetic anhydride solution. It will transform the hydroxide groups into acetyl. And the change means they are more durable and moisture-resistant.
Is Accoya Good for decking
Accoya is famous for window panes and garage doors. And having high durability makes the wood a popular option for sidings and facades. In short, that makes Accoya decking a popular application.
It is the only building material in the world to get the C2C PlatinumTM certification for material health.
Being a softwood doesn’t make the wood weaker or less suitable outdoors. On the contrary, this wood is more durable than most decks.
Accoya’s treated wood lasts a long time and is the standard for performance and durability in the wood industry. No other wood is as stable, durable, and useful as this.
The acetylate process makes Accoya 80% more water-resistant than other woods. Being one of the light-colored woods also means you will have no problem choosing the color for the deck.
You can have the deck floor any color you want, from a very natural shade to highlight the pattern or a very dark and almost black color. The wood can work in all colors.
Accoya wood Decking Pros and cons
The primary pros are that it gives softwood the same qualities as hardwood. People who can’t source good-quality hardwood can use Accoya as a replacement.
Another advantage is that Accoya often comes in a light color. Therefore, you can choose any finishing to highlight the pattern.
Since Accoya uses softwood, they are supporting the sustainability of softwood overall. You also can check for the FSC label on the wood to ensure that it follows the regulation on keeping the product has a low carbon footprint and is safe to use.
However, pricing has always been an issue for those who want Accoya. It’s undeniable that they can be expensive. But their premium features make up for the price.
Another issue with Accoya is it can be brittle and require stainless steel fasteners. Availability also can be an issue at times.
Is Accoya decking better than hardwood?
Accoya can be even more expensive than a hardwood deck. But in some aspects, they are much better than hardwood. The price can be an issue, but when you compare premium Accoya with premium hardwood, you can see that Accoya is more affordable.
Being originally softwood means you have more patterns and finished look options. One thing about this wood is it can handle all types of coating.
So you can choose timber with a solid pattern to oil and highlight or something more subtle to paint over. You can rely on your Accoya floor for many decades. It also requires minimum maintenance.
Another advantage that Accoya decking has over hardwood decking is its sustainability. If you’re eco-conscious and looking for timber with zero carbon footprint, Accoya is the one.
How to Maintain Accoya Decking?
Having an Accoya decking doesn’t require a lot of work. Even though it’s expensive to install, the wood is fairly easy to maintain. Some people may suggest that you periodically add protective layers to the floor. However, you may only need to do a regular inspection as maintenance.
Caring for your Accoya deck is quite simple. Clean it regularly with water and soap. Avoid using any harmful chemicals that can ruin the floor. Use this chance to notice any chipping or any issue with the sealer. Even though the wood is highly durable, it may have some issues during the finishing process.
You will start noticing these issues after several months or years. Anyway, be careful when looking for imperfections. Some of them may be good for the wood and keep the coating to stay event.
The manufacturer suggests yearly maintenance. But you can do it twice a year or even more if you have the Accoya decking as a full outdoor deck and have it exposed to the weather.
What makes Accoya wood decking so unique?
Accoya, a global leader in wood technology, specializes in the wood acetylation process, a wood modification that improves durability and dimensional stability.
As a result, the changed wood will be appropriate for outdoor use for longer. For over 80 years, many scientists worldwide have studied the exceptional performance of Accoya® wood.
In many aspects, sustainably sourced softwood outperforms high-quality tropical hardwoods. It is well known for its long endurance, great resistance, and outstanding dimensional stability.
The radiata pine wood that will be turned into Accoya decking goes through a patented process in which 80% of the water is taken out, and a chemical mixture similar to vinegar is injected.
As a result, even when submerged, Accoya decking does not rot, nor is it attacked by insects, termites, woodworms, anobids, lictids, or marine xylophages, which do not recognize it as wood, but as an edible element.
This proprietary Accoya treatment has nothing to do with the copper coating; it does not prevent the wood from rotting with humidity, it does not prevent cracking and cracking in the pine, and it loses its resistance to attack over time.
Because Accoya never rots and is never attacked by insects, it is guaranteed for 50 years.
Accoya is one of the most resistant wood deckings in the world
As a result, Accoya wood decking is among the most durable flooring in the world, alongside Ipé from Brazil.
The Accoya decking is made from Northern Pine or Insignis Pine (Pinus radiata D. Don Syn. P.insignis Dougl. Ex Loud= P. Californica Loisl).
The basic material is wood from the Baltic, Sweden, Finland, New Zealand, and Chile, but it is from the California coast in the United States.
Accoya wood decking is extraordinarily stable
Accoya decking is thus one of the most solid and resistant outdoor decking materials to weather, rain, and submersion.
The idea is to eliminate the water that causes decay and replace it with a trademarked mixture.
Accoya wood can thus be used to build bridges; it can be fastened into the mud and is guaranteed for 50 years underwater.
As outdoor flooring, Accoya is strong and doesn’t move. The staples don’t move, and it’s very straight because it doesn’t twist in any way.
Accoya decking is customizable
But another benefit of exterior Accoya flooring is that the color can be changed in many different ways. This is because treated pine is light in color and takes stains well because it is well-protected.
Accoya decking is a highly valued product among decorators, architects, and interior designers because it can be made in different colors.
Accoya wood decking maintains some qualities of the original wood, but in essence, it has changed
Accoya decking is made from Radiata pine, and its physical and mechanical properties are still the same, but its durability has changed a lot.
The change formula isn’t like copperized pine, which only keeps insects away for a short time and is made of softwood that rots.
On the other hand, water does not cause the wood that has been changed into Accoya decking to rot. The way it works has changed.
Accoya wood decking durability and low-maintenance
Accoya is good for the environment, 100% recyclable, and renewable. Sustainability is important from when a product is bought to when it is taken out of service.
Accoya is the only building material in the world to get C2C Platinum certification for material health. It is also Cradle to Cradle Gold certified.
This process makes the wood much less able to soak up water. The wood keeps its shape better and stays strong for a long time.
At least 50 years if it doesn’t touch the soil, and at least 25 years if it touches the soil and fresh water, it gets the highest possible durability class.
There are additional advantages to Accoya Color Gray decking. Because the color goes through, the terraces don’t need to be oiled often or repainted when they get scratched.
The gray planks also prepare for the natural aging process, so they look the same from day one.
Does Accoya decking need to be refinished often? The acetylation process has made it only 80% as good at absorbing water as it was before.
This means that finishes on Accoya wood will last longer than those on other types of wood. Acetic anhydride is used to make Accoya even stronger and more durable.