Brimstone Poplar
Brimstone poplar | VHL6 Thermally modified poplar cladding
Large volumes of hybrid poplar were originally planted to supply the Bryant and May match factories and pulp mills, but unfortunately, by the early 80’s production of both drew to an end. The specie, is however, very efficient at absorbing large volumes of water and Co2, features which make it very useful in the current environmental context. Unfortunately without a value, it unlikely that the specie will be replanted for future generations.
Thermal modification once again gives a commercial value to this tremendous tree. By curing two of its greatest faults, instability and liability to rot, Brimstone Poplar will behave and last outside without any treatment.
Brimstone Poplar is produced from the clean butt of the tree where the wood is straight grained and relatively knot free. The appearance is silky and the colouring is a medium chocolate brown (think 50% cocoa).
Being the softest of the three Brimstone products, poplar is not suitable for decking and may not be suitable for all joinery and furniture applications. However, Brimstone Poplar is the cheapest of the three options and is cheaper than Canadian cedar, oak and sweet chestnut, making it a great choice for contemporary cladding installations.
When designing joinery and furniture remember the product is more brittle than natural wood and may require different jointing and gluing techniques.
Like all thermally modified timber, Brimstone is durable above ground but it will not last well when in contact with the ground.
Technical Specification
Produced to comply with the harmonised standard for construction products regulation BSEN14915:2013 and to conform with BS8605-1:2014 External timber cladding: Method for specifying.
| Trade Name | Brimstone Poplar |
| Base timber | English poplar |
| Species | Populus (Hybrid) |
| Process | Thermal modification. 210 degrees centigrade. |
| Origin | Legal and well-managed forests in England and Wales. |
| Intended use | External cladding |
| Other uses | External joinery and furniture |
| Appearance | Consistent dark chocolate brown colouring with a silky grain pattern and regular birds eye pips. The colour is further enhanced by the application of a clear oil such as Osmo UV resistant oil. |
| Weathering | The modification process removes most natural extractives resulting in relatively consistent weathering largely free of staining. Weathering to a grey colour occurs more quickly than on non-modified timber. When wet Brimstone poplar returns to a walnut colour. |
| Profiles | All machined profiles |
| Dimensions | 20 x 70mm, 20 x 95mm, 20 x 145mm |
| Lengths | Random. 1.5 – 3.0mt+ |
| Moisture content | 2-4% (Moisture content is stable in exterior conditions) |
| Natural durability (EN350-2) | Durable* Class 2 (Based on European testing) |
| Insect attack | Thermally modified wood is resistant to insect attack when used above ground contact. |
| Desired service life (BS8417) | Occasionally wet 60 yrs* Frequently wet 30 yrs* |
| Treatability class | Resistant |
| Movement class* | Small (Negligible) |
| Resistance to impact* | Low |
| Resistance to fixing | High. Modified wood is brittle and should be treated with care. |
| When to fix | Year round. Very stable in all conditions. |
| Grading | BS1186-3 1990 Class 1. EN942:2007. J20. CE grade A. Clean with a few small sound knots. |
| Working properties | Thermally modified woods are more brittle than untreated wood. Care should be taken when cutting and nailing to prevent chipping and break out. Pre-drilling is advised. Test glues before large-scale use. Water based glues do not work well. PU glues have tested well. Otherwise treat as a normal hardwood. |
| Extractives | The modification process involves no chemicals and any natural chemicals in the wood are removed during the process. Thermally modified wood can be treated as inert. |
| Emission of formaldehyde (EN14915) | E1 (Not significant) |
| Reaction to fire (EN14915) | Euroclass F (Untested). D-s2, d0 |
| Fire treatment | Untested |
| CE compliant | Yes |
| *Brimstone products will be tested in 2017 to establish accurate data for durability, stability and strength. For now we base our information on European and American testing of similar products. While the utmost care has been taken to provide accurate information, Vastern Timber shall not be held responsible for any consequences arising from any errors or omissions on this website nor for any damages resulting from the use of the information. |
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