Rethinking wood protection in timber construction

By JANNIS STADTMANN

Wood remains a key material in modern construction thanks to its natural appeal, technological properties and versatility. Its susceptibility to fungi, insects and weathering has traditionally been addressed with chemical preservatives. Today, around one quarter of all biocides produced are used in the construction sector.

These biocide-based treatments are effective but problematic: their ingredients not only kill harmful organisms but also beneficial ones. When brought into the wood, they cannot prevent toxins from leaching into the environment. Restrictions already prohibit their use in sensitive applications like apiaries, saunas, and areas near water bodies.

When treated timber is exposed to the weather, toxic substances inevitably migrate into the soil and groundwater. This poses risks to humans, animals and ecosystems. The long-term effects are often unknown, and changes in classification driven by sustainability concerns can lead to remediation measures that can be expensive.

For manufacturers and their clients (property owners), this adds a dimension of economic uncertainty to environmental concerns.

What’s ‘silicification’?

One promising alternative to conventional, biocide-based treatments of timber components is silicification, a purely mineral-based treatment that hardens the wood surface and increases durability without toxic additives.

Silicate minerals penetrate the wood, creating a hardened, “fossilized” surface. The mineral’s alkaline environment suppresses fungi and algae growth, and pests such as termites find the treated wood unpleasant.

No biocides are necessary, and the surface remains open to diffusion. Silicified wood offers several advantages for protecting timber constructions:

• Effective biological resistance without biocides or heavy metals.
• Improved fire behaviour, with reduced flammability and smoke generation.
• Durable protection even under outdoor exposure.
• Compatibility with restoration activities: silicified surfaces can be recoated using mineral-based systems.
• High environmental compatibility, meeting the demands of green-building certification schemes.

Sustainable solution

With the Jordan Natureline, Jordan Lacke (a brand of Plantag Coatings) offers a highly sustainable wood preservative that not only protects wood, but also the environment. This ready-to-use, mineral-based wood preservative is ideal for indoor and outdoor use.

Jordan Nature-PUR and Jordan Nature-Colour provide effective protection against fungi and animal pests without biocides. They also improve the flame-retardant properties of wood. Due to their low-emission, mineral-based formulation, Jordan Natureline products meet the strict requirements for ecologic certification by the Eco-Institut label.

• Jordan Nature-PUR is mineral, solvent- and biocide-free wood preservative for indoor and outdoor use. It leaves no harmful substances in nature and is even approved for bat roosts.
• Jordan Nature Fire-Protect increases the fire resistance of untreated wooden components and achieves fire protection (class EN 13501-1 c-s1, d0), low flammability and low smoke emission.
• Jordan Nature-Colour is ideal for coloured wood preservation for indoor and outdoor use. The colours are based on mineral pigments, enabling individual colour design. Even card shades can be mixed with each other.

The application can be performed using either standard industrial techniques or manual techniques, such as brushing, rolling, spraying, dipping, or vacuum impregnation. Therefore, integration into existing workflows is uncomplicated.

The construction industry is under increasing pressure to balance performance with sustainability. Conventional biocide-based treatments can no longer meet these demands.

Silicification and mineral-based wood protection solutions offer a practical, future-proof alternative that is easy to use, ensures the longevity of timber structures, and contributes to a healthier environment. In short, sustainable wood protection is possible in practice.

– The writer heads International Business Development for Germany-based coatings specialist, Plantag Coatings. He can be contacted at j.stadtmann@plantag.de.

 

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