Termite damage is a severe problem throughout the world, with the annual cost in the United States alone being some $5 billion, due to crippled structures, infested homes and the need for costly repairs. Acetylated wood, such as Accoya® wood, has long been thought of as an effective barrier against termite decay.

Further strengthening these claims, Titan Wood Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Accsys Technologies, is pleased to announce that its Accoya® wood has produced very favourable results against standard termite testing in the USA. Testing at leading institutions, such as Louisiana State University and Mississippi State University, followed the rigorous protocols set out by the American Wood Protection Association (AWPA) and was completed using highly aggressive Formosan subterranean termites, Coptotermes formosanus, and the more common Reticulitermes flavipes. The results confirmed that Accoya® wood is less susceptible to termite attack, as well as increased termite mortality.

The tests were conducted under AWPA E1 standards, and yielded termite appearance ratings of 9.6, which is classified as Light Attack. Control samples, by comparison, had an average rating of 3.5 which is worse than Heavy Attack. Weight loss from termite attack averaged 1.43% for Accoya® wood versus control sample averages of 32.06%.

In reviewing results from testing done at Mississippi State University’s Forest Products Laboratory and Louisiana State University’s School of Renewable Natural Resources, Matthew Roberts, an expert in wood durability explained, “Titan Wood recently engaged in termite testing of its Accoya® wood product in the hope of validating long-standing theories surrounding the durability of acetylated wood against termite decay. Upon review of the testing data it is clear that Accoya® wood offers outstanding durability against the most destructive of termites, having more than 20 times the resilience of untreated wood.”

Finlay Morrison, Chief Executive Officer of Titan Wood, stated, “These results provide independent proof that Accoya® is a sustainable wood that withstands many types of attack. It has high durability, in even the harshest of conditions, without the need for toxic additives or ongoing wood treatments. At last, a building material is available which both protects structures and reduces the impact on the environment. Accoya® wood is the natural choice.”

ENDS