What is Perennial Wood?
Perennial Wood is real wood made to endure. It resists shrinking and swelling that causes cracking, cupping, and warping, without sacrificing the natural beauty of real wood. It is chemically modified with TruLast™ Technology resulting in more dimensionally stable and more resistant wood, while retaining all of the natural beauty of real wood. This process begins by carefully selecting raw wood, then modifying the wood's chemical structure throughout.
Is Perennial Wood real wood?
Perennial Wood is real wood. It is Southern pine that's been modified with TruLast Technology, which provides a physical barrier throughout that's warranted to protect against rot, decay and movement for 25 years. After modification, Perennial Wood is three times more stable and has 25 percent more surface hardness than unmodified wood.
How is Perennial Wood™ different from other wood?
Perennial Wood looks like genuine, beautiful wood, because it is real wood. It's not pressure-treated with heavy metals, it's not an artificial composite, nor is it molded from plastic. It's simply real wood with real character that's been modified to resist changes from moisture and remain dimensionally stable for decades. Unlike pressure-treated wood, Perennial Wood is modified with TruLast Technology, which provides a physical barrier throughout the wood, not just on the surface. TruLast Technology uses heat, pressure and an organic compound to permanently change the water-loving groups in the wood's cells to water-hating groups.
What benefits does Perennial Wood have over unmodified wood?
Perennial Wood is real wood made to endure. It resists shrinking and swelling that causes cracking, cupping, and warping, without sacrificing the natural beauty of real wood. It's able to do this because it has been modified with TruLast Technology, which provides a physical barrier throughout that's warranted to protect against rot, decay and movement for 25 years. After modification, Perennial Wood is three times more stable and has 25 percent more surface hardness than raw wood.
Does Perennial Wood decking come prefinished?
Yes. Perennial Wood decking comes with a consistent, multi-coat application in Cape Cod Gray, Cedar, Mahogany and Redwood finishes.
Will you be selling Perennial Wood for other applications, in addition to decking?
Yes, Perennial Wood is currently available to other manufacturers to use in their products, such as furniture, windows and doors. We believe Perennial Wood has the potential to be used in many outdoor and indoor applications where wood is used today. Manufacturers can contact us at info@PerennialWood.com.
What size lumber is available in Perennial Wood?
Perennial Wood decking and components are available in standard sizes. Trade professionals can order a wide selection of nominal-sized lumber for custom-designed elements of their decking projects. Manufacturers wishing to incorporate Perennial Wood into their product lines can contact us at info@PerennialWood.com.
Is Perennial Wood only Southern pine or can it be another species like oak or maple?
Currently Perennial Wood is produced only from Southern pine. Southern pine is indigenous to the area in which the product is produced, and is a renewable resource that has been a mainstay in the building and construction industry. It also takes well to the modification process, creating hardwood-like characteristics such as greater surface hardness and dimensional stability than unmodified Southern pine. Other species may be introduced in the future, based on market demand.
Why should I choose Perennial Wood?
Perennial Wood offers an excellent combination of superior appearance and durability. It looks like genuine, beautiful wood because it is real wood. It's not pressure-treated with heavy metals, it's not an artificial composite, nor is it molded from plastic. It's simply real wood with real character that's been modified to resist changes from moisture such as shrinking, swelling, cracking, and warping for decades. It can be cut, shaped, sanded and drilled just like wood, using common woodworking tools and stainless steel screws, nails and hidden fasteners available at home centers.
Can Perennial Wood be used in fresh water applications?
Yes, it can be used in fresh water environments. Please consult ICC-ES ESR 1690 for more details at www.icc-es.org.
How can Perennial Wood be disposed of at the end of its life?
Dispose of material according to local, state and/or federal regulations.
I'd like some product samples. Can you send them to me?
You may submit a request for product samples by emailing us at info@PerennialWood.com.
Where is Perennial Wood produced?
It is produced at our Kingsport, Tennessee, manufacturing facility.
Is Perennial Wood made in the USA?
Yes.
How can I learn more about Perennial Wood?
For additional information or questions, please contact Perennial Wood customer service at 800-530-7495 or info@PerennialWood.com.
What are the advantages of TruLast Technology?
When wood is exposed to outdoor elements, it moves. Changes in moisture cause it to shrink and swell leading to cupping, bowing and warping. This new technology, TruLast Technology, changes how moisture interacts with wood. It modifies the wood, providing a physical barrier throughout that's warranted to protect against rot, decay and movement for 25 years. The resulting Perennial Wood is three times more stable than unmodified wood.
Does the TruLast Technology process affect only the surface layer of the wood or does it penetrate the wood throughout?
TruLast Technology permanently modifies the wood throughout the board, making it straighter, smoother, harder and three times more resistant to shrinking and swelling than unmodified wood—without compromising the wood's natural appearance. It is not an envelope or surface treatment.
What chemical is used to treat Perennial Wood?
Perennial Wood is not treated but rather modified through TruLast Technology. TruLast Technology uses a combination of heat, pressure and an organic compound to change the cellular structure of the wood. The organic compound is acetic anhydride, the by-product of which is also found in household vinegar. Acetic anhydride is used in manufacturing a wide range of products, from acetaminophen to artificial sweeteners, to toothbrushes, eyeglass frames, adhesive tape, tool handles and LCD television screens.
What remains in the wood after processing?
TruLast Technology modifies the wood with an organic compound, leaving nothing toxic in the wood. The byproduct of the process is acetic acid, which occurs naturally in wood, and is present at levels below that found in household vinegar.
Is Perennial Wood decking suitable for use as stair stringers?
No. Current Perennial Wood decking products are not suitable for use as stair stringers. None of the Perennial Wood decking components are of the proper physical dimensions, since building codes require a minimum 2" X 12" cross-section for stair stringers.
How heavy is Perennial Wood?
Perennial Wood boards can be about 20 percent heavier than unmodified pine boards, as the acetylation process increases the density of the wood. While a typical 16-foot Perennial Wood deck board weighs about 23 pounds, actual weight can vary due to wood density, ranging from about 20 to 27 pounds.
