CRAN®: Understanding Accoya, Kebony, Abodo, and Sylva – How they are made, how they perform, proper installation, and finishing options.

This course will focus on different modification techniques that strengthen and enhance the natural benefits of timbers. The aim of modified wood is to overcome the shortcomings of standard timber. The modification process enhances the performance of the wood, resulting in improvements in the longevity of timbers. We will review thermal and chemical modification, as well as shou sugi ban as a preservation technique. We will end the course by reviewing the value of product mock ups, a specification tool used to observe wood’s natural weathering process. Once the course is complete, architects and designers will have an understanding of the characteristics and benefits of modified woods for specification purposes.