Thermally Modified Wood (TMW)
The faculty here at Virginia Tech has been involved in a research to determine the best marketing strategies to increase the market share of Thermally Modified Wood (TMW), allowing the producers to understand the potential of the market. Also, TMW manufacturers are still looking for the most efficient practices to produce TMW, since every schedule used to modify wood provides a different mechanical performance.
The literature shows that when products have standards, the market is more likely to accept them. The lack of information regarding the properties of TMW produced by different companies is a problem for producers. Architects are currently the primary market driver of TMW use. Ensuring they know about TMW would increase the market share.
The goal of this project was to increase the market awareness of TMW produced from low-value hardwood species, by increasing the primary customer’s knowledge and acceptance of the material, while increasing the efficiency of producers.
TMW Manufacturers in the U.S.
Location: Kreamer, PA
Species Used: Ash, Soft Maple, Red Oak, Yellow Poplar
Location: Troy, VA
Species Used: Yellow Poplar, White Ash, Red Oak, and Soft Maple
Website: https://northlandforest.com/cambia-thermally-modified-lumber.html
Location: Cleveland, GA
Species Used: Ash, Red Oak, Yellow Poplar, Scandinavian spruce and pine
Website: https://ahchardwood.com/lunawood/
Location: Clakamas, OR
Species Used: Scots Pine, Spruce, Ash, Pine
Website: https://thermoryusa.com/
TMW Specialists, Department of Sustainable Biomaterials, VT
Brian Bond
Professor & Associate Dean for Extension, Outreach and Engagement
Abasali Masoumi
Ph.D. Candidate & Graduate Research Assistant
Various TMW Publications, Dept. of Sustainable Biomaterials, VT
- Gonzalez, J., Bond, B., and Quesada, H. (2019, June). Variability of Commercially Available Thermally Modified Lumber. Presentation at Forest Products Society, Atlanta, United States.
- Gonzalez, J., Bond, B., and Quesada, H. (2020, July). Lean Process Strategy in the Production of Thermally Modified Wood. Presentation at Forest Products Society, United States.
- Brito A.F., F.W. Calonego; B. Bond; E.T.D. Severo 2018. Color Changes, EMC, And Biological Resistance of Thermally Modified Yellow Poplar. Wood and Fiber Science, 50(4):439-446.
- Calonego, S., C. A. Sansígolo and B. H. Bond. 2016. Changes in the Chemical Composition and Decay Resistance of Thermally-Modified Hevea brasiliensis Wood. PLoS ONE 11(3): e0151353. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0151353
- Gonzalez, J. J., Bond, B., and Quesada, H. (2021). "Variability in the mechanical properties of commercially available thermally modified hardwood lumber," BioResources 16(3), 6083-6099
- Masoumi, A., and Bond, B. H. 2024. Prediction of Equilibrium Moisture Content and Swelling of Thermally Modified Hardwoods by Artificial Neural Networks. BioResources, 19(4), 6983-6993. doi:10.15376/biores.19.4.6983-6993
- Masoumi, A., and Bond, B. H. 2024. Dimensional Stability and Equilibrium Moisture Content of Thermally Modified Hardwoods. BioResources, 19(1), 1218-1228. doi:10.15376/biores.19.1.1218-1228
- Masoumi, A., Balma, F., and Bond, B. 2023. Adhesive Bonding Performance of Thermally Modified Yellow Poplar. Bioresources, 18(4), 8151-8162. doi:10.15376/biores18.4.8151-8162
- Gonzalez, J., Bond, B., and Quesada, H. Thermally Modified Wood Market Perception Report. United States. June 2020. Available here: https://cfpb.vt.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Expanding-Markets-for-TMW.pdf
- Gonzalez, J., Bond, B., and Quesada, H. Thermally Modified Wood Performance Test Report. United States. June 2020. Available here: https://cfpb.vt.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Expanding-Markets-for-TMW.pdf
- Gonzalez, J., Bond, B., and Quesada, H. Industrial Practices for Thermally Modified Wood. United States. June 2020. Available here: https://cfpb.vt.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Expanding-Markets-for-TMW.pdf
- Part II of Expanding Markets for Thermally-modified Wood Products Produced from Low-value Hardwood Species. PI Brian Bond, Co-PI Henry Quesada. $95,846 Period 2020-2023. Funding source: USDA Forest Service (20-DG-11083150-009).
- U.S. Forest Service Wood Innovations. Expanding Markets for Thermally-modified Wood Products Produced from Low-value Hardwood Species. PI Henry Quesada, Co-PI Brian Bond. $184,868. Period: 2018-2021. Funding source: USDA Forest Service (18-DG-11083150-005).
- Gonzalez, J. Bond, B., and Quesada, H. (2019, October). Short Course on Thermally Modified Basics and Lean Practices. United States Forest Service, Charlottesville, United States.