Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

If the report or certification we issued is publicly available, you can send us a request via info@wood.be . If not, this document is the property of the company itself and you should direct your question to them.

The associated time and costs related to a test differ case per case, but you can find several standard prices via info@wood.be.

Mould on thermally treated wood is common. With light wood species, this is obviously most noticeable. Moreover, mould growth also depends on circumstances, location and direction of exposure (e.g. shaded areas are more favourable for mould growth because of more constant moisture conditions; SW is the rain side; covered pieces dry out less easily, ...). However, the problem is temporary and part of the ageing process. How long one should wait for the surface to age evenly is currently unclear. The mould growth is due to the fact that the thermal treatment releases sugars on the surface and lowers the acidity level, developing optimal growth conditions for the surface moulds. However, the fungi are not harmful to the wood. You can find more information in this article and the Woodforlife project.

Research has shown that cracking in thermally modified wood depends on the raw material. Cracks already present in kiln-dried wood will be more pronounced in the modified wood. These cracks are not always visible to the naked eye in the raw material because the wood reacts to the stress present during the drying process. Creep occurs to prevent further cracking. Delamination at the level of the annual rings is often the result of micro-cracks that have formed in the raw, untreated material. The tensions in early and late wood are different due to their structure, which can cause internal cracks due to the working of the wood. You can find more information in this article and the Woodforlife project.

Most answers can be found in existing databases, norms or overviews on our website, such as here.

There are thousands of wood species, and lots of information is available for each. General information can be found, for example, here and here. For more specific info you can always contact us via the mail address info@wood.be We will forward your question to the relevant colleague.

Moisture management is essential throughout the whole supply and construction iteration, because it can have a large effect on the performance. More information can be found here.

The wood moisture level can generally be determined in three ways (described in European standards EN13183-1-3). The first, and only exact method, consists of weighing and consecutive oven-drying of a sample, followed by weighing of the dried sample, after which the moisture level can be calculated. A second method estimates the wood moisture level through an electrical resistance measurement, with a specifically for wood designed aparatus. A last method estimates the wood moisture level through capacitance measurement. This last method is in general not advisable for on site use, as it is sensitive to influences and user error (e.g. presence of metal fasteners, underlying materials, ...). The final two methods are only applicable to solid timber, with a moisture content between ca. 7 and 30% (fiber saturation point: above this point the measurement becomes unreliable, and the conclusion can only be that the moisture content is above the fibre saturation point). The oven drying method is applicable to all timber products, such as panels, composite products, and treated timber, and of any moisture content. For on site use, resistance measurement is the most applicable method. As a general rule, all timber construction sites should have a suited measurement device available at all times and personnel trained in operating it. It is important to note that resistance measurement is done with isolated pins, where the resistance is measured between the un-isolated pin heads. Furthermore, the measurement is sensitive to the orientation of the grain and the distance between the pins. This means that this method can be used in the case of CLT, where it is important to get not only a view of the moisture content of exterior wood layers, but also of the underlying layers (e.g. where moisture has penetrated from an end grain surface, or drying has superficially commenced), but that some extra precautions and/or steps are in order. For CLT the following method can be applied: - Determine the desired depth/wood layer to be evaluated. - Pre-drill holes to this desired depth: using a long drill, and using a jig to drill exactly to the correct width of the pins. And taking the orientation of the desired wood layer into account. (Depending on the device, the measurement should be made perpendicular to, or parallel to, the fibre direction.) - Using long, insulated pins in the drill holes at the desired depth, take the measurements. - Always take a minimum of 3 measurements at different places, and take an average. - When interpreting the results, keep in mind the possible errors that can occur. Such as deviation of the drill-holes (wrong spacing of pins), damage to the insulation of the pins (wrong measurement depth), difficulty in determining the right layer, glue lines between the two pins, ... - As these elements make this method difficult to implement, and less reliable, a large number of measurements should be taken, and results should be interpreted with care.

There are many ways in which residual wood can be valorised. This relates closely to hierarchical circular strategies, as explained by Circularise, in which residual flows are reduced, reused, or recycled. Reuse can take place at varying grades and levels of utility, depending on the quality and quantity. Recycling is a lower grade application, for example in particle boards. Specific questions for guidance can be directed to info@wood.be.

Useful information concerning Eurocodes can be found here.

Relevant information concerning this topic can be found on this page, for example on recent modifications in the regulatory framework.

DoP means a Declaration of Performance, more information can be found here.

These are two different questions. A digital product passport can be instrumental to comply with EUDR legislation. In principle, a digital product passport could be developed in a pilot project. More info on digital data managment and EUDR can be found via our website.

WOOD.BE has ample experience and a track record in this respect, so we might be able to help you mapping trends and business opportunities. You can contact us at info@wood.be to discuss further specifications.

WOOD.BE can help to determine the best strategies for avoiding waste and valorizing residual flows of wood and wood-based materials. Check our projects page to find examples. If interested to discuss further specifications, please contact: info@wood.be.

Yes we can, but for that we need to have more specific information. You can contact us via info@wood.be to set up a first intake conversation.

WOOD.BE can help you with this. Since many factors are at play, it is best to contact us to further discuss specifications, routes and prices, via info@wood.be.

There is a myriad of materials out there, and the offer grows everyday. Many material innovations play at better sustainability performance. This depends on multiple parameters. There are several interesting databases and websites out there. At WOOD.BE, we have a lot of expertise and experience in this field, so you can always contact us at info@wood.be to further discuss the specifications.

WOOD.BE is happy to help you generating an LCA for your wood/biobased product. You can contact us at all times to discuss the possibilities. An LCA can have various guises. For its full validity, both in terms of product performance and legislation, an LCA comes with an extensive study, building on large amounts of data. It depends thus whether or not data is already available and in what form/quality.