What will they think of next?

Wouldn’t it be nice if 3D printers could use wood instead of plastic? Imagine being able to create complex parts from just sawdust and lignin, one thin layer at a time.

Well, that future is already here. Massachusetts-based Forust (forust.com) has developed a process that can produce strong, lightweight wood components from nothing more than wood waste. Parts printed with the proprietary process can be finished like standard unfinished wood products, and they can be printed with or without realistic grain patterns. 3D printing is called additive manufacturing because it builds a part, as opposed to the subtractive process used by routers that carves away waste in multiple passes to reveal a part. And in addition to an enviable environmental footprint (this particular 3D printing process is using waste that would normally be burned or buried), wood-based printing lets designers create intricate, complex forms that a shop might not even be able to make on a 5-axis CNC.

The current Forust software allows users to print parts with no grain pattern, or in one of several patterns that can replicate species such as ash or mahogany. The standard printer can deliver complete parts or components up to 13.8” x 8.7” x 7.9” and, similar to one of the major advantages of powder coating, the shop can recover loose sawdust residue for immediate reuse in the printer. The parts can be sanded, stained, polished, dyed, coated, and even refinished in the same manner as traditionally manufactured wood products, and they can hold a nail or screw.

Woodshops are going to see a lot more recycled, recovered and repurposed materials over the next few years because of three trends. First, there is the obvious ethical obligation to reduce pollution. Second is diminishing resources, including a switch from oil-based industries (the source of plastics such as those used in many laminates and edging tapes) to renewable energy and plant-based raw materials. And third, our growing world population means there is more consumerism, which is already impacting supply chains.

That idea of repurposing is the philosophy behind Echo Wood. Available through suppliers such as Frank Paxton Lumber Co. (paxtonwood.com), Echo Wood is reconstituted real wood veneer that provides endless opportunities to create the look of rare and common wood. Using CAD technology, the manufacturer manipulates common and certified wood fiber to reproduce the natural appearance of nearly any desirable wood species. This environmentally responsible alternative produces architectural veneers that are defect-free and consistent in color and grain.

Echo Wood is just one example of how businesses and environmentalists are beginning to share the same global goals. Vicente Berbegal is another. A woodworker by trade, he opened a small shop in the mountain town of Castalla, Spain, back in 1968. Berbegal proved to be an exceptional businessman and today his company, Actiu, ships products to more than 90 countries. One of its lines, Fluit, is a recycled chair that’s made from Fibreglas and polypropylene plastic that are harvested from old fruit cartons. Berbegal is a textbook example of how social and business interests are combining to create and use next generation materials.

Other examples include Interesting Times Gang (itg.studio/project/aibio), a Swedish company, that has a furniture line called Aibio made from discarded nylon fishing nets, and chairs from the New Zealand manufacturer Noho (noho.co) that incorporate recycled carpet.

An 18th-century Japanese wood treatment known as Shou Sugi Ban involved scorching the surface of cedar boards, cleaning them, and then coating them with oil. The result was a natural waterproofing process that helped preserve otherwise susceptible timber (Yakisugi) in outdoor applications. The process has found new popularity of late, due to its environmentally friendly methodology. There is no infusion of chemicals, no paint or coating, and no bi-product other than a light ash and a mild carbon release. There is nothing to leach into soil or become airborne.

Wood treated this way, and especially softwood, is now finding its way into interior furniture and wall panels. It’s low maintenance, uniform in color, and both moisture and insect resistant. Woods with strong, visible grain work best, and the degree of charring can deliver significantly different textural results. The Norwegian company Kebony (kebony.com) is a leader in this field and its products have been available in North America since 2014. Another innovative product, the Selex Radiata pine plywood panel, is produced by Brazilian manufacturer CMPC and is available through Boise Cascade. Usable indoors and out, it’s resistant to decay.

Circular manufacturing has been around for a long time. The idea is that a product can be placed in service for its usable life, and it can then be recycled in whole or in part. For example, the Danish company Stykka (stykka.com) makes kitchen cabinets and when the doors or shelves wear out or simply look dated, the homeowner can order new ones. Every product in the factory comes with a digital twin that is linked to an online cloud database, making it incredibly easy to maintain or upgrade an existing kitchen. To Stykka, circular design means that individual parts can be replaced to prolong the lifespan of the interiors, and the old parts are remanufactured and recirculated. That might be a good marketing model for North American custom shops.

Cross-gluing has always been a no-no for fine woodworkers, especially those who have witnessed humidity-induced movement delaminate and destroy a furniture joint. The idea is that wood moves across its grain, so face-gluing two boards at right-angles can often lead to splits, cracks and glue failure. Or so we thought. A new generation of cross-laminated timber (CLT) seems to defy that wisdom. For example, Montana-based SmartLam (smartlam.com) uses Georgia Pacific softwoods to create large cross-laminated panels for applications such as elevator shafts. The same technology is appearing on a smaller scale in lumberyards across Europe where edge-glued panels of 3/4” thick softwoods are face-glued together in three layers, with the middle one at right angles. The result is a 16’-long, 5’-wide panel that is 2-1/4” thick. It’s essentially three-layer plywood that is made by using 1x boards. Advances in both drying and gluing have made this possible.

As lasers, desktop CNC routers, and small collaborative robots become more accessible, a new type of plywood has been developed to take advantage of the improved accuracy offered by these machines. Ultra-thin bendable boards – all the way down to 4mm (1/64”) – from KoskiPly (thinplywood.com) can be used to make doors, cabinets, and furniture. Koskiply is available through Plywood & Door Mfrs. Corp. in Union, N.J. (pdusa.com).

Wonder Wood Veneer from Lenderink Technologies (lenderink.com) is a new composite veneer that allows small shops to make their own flat or curved 3D plywood. The veneer has a pre-applied adhesive, which bonds when heated to approximately 200 degrees F.

A couple of years ago, CalPlant introduced Eureka MDF (eurekamdf.com) made from rice straw. The product has earned a USDA certified Biobased Product label, which highlights the portion of a product that comes from a renewable source that displaces the need for non-renewable petroleum-based chemicals. Biobased products are playing an increasingly important role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Several manufacturers are tackling the challenge of providing a next generation material that is not only easy to mill but can also be used in humid applications such as bathroom or outdoors. Armorite is an exterior use MDF from Roseburg Forest Products (roseburg.com). Nexos exterior panels from Uniboard (uniboard.com) are made from pre-consumer recycled and recovered wood fibers, with no added formaldehyde.

Tile is a perfect option in humid applications and a new line of porcelain tiles from MSI (msisurfaces.com) features an element of luxury that might appeal to high-end kitchen and bath buyers. Called Eden Calacatta, it includes thick gold veining with a creamy white background in a marble-like statement. Available in a wide variety of options from generously sized 32” x 32” tiles to charming hex, Chevron mosaics and more, a shop can mix and match it for a cohesive look on floors and walls.

Another exquisite new surface option, Berkshire Brass from Cambria (cambriausa.com), includes never-before-seen alloy gilded veining on a cool white, marbled background. The dramatic look is available in several surface options including Brass Satin Ridge, Brass Sculpted and Brass Smooth.

The Swedish Department of Fibre and Polymer Technology reports the development of a new wood polymer composite with interesting optical properties. Called ‘transparent wood’, it involves removing the lignum from boards so that the microstructure is preserved, and then filling the voids with a transparent polymer.

Minnesota-based Chromatic 3D Materials (c3dmaterials.com) is developing polyurethanes that have the same three-dimensional strength and compression set as injection-molded parts. The new materials can be flexed, stretched, twisted, and squeezed over and over, just like standard polyurethanes, but they are also printable.

And researchers at the University of Minnesota have successfully cross-linked the bacteria Bacillus subtilis with silica to create a ‘living’ material that will eventually impact coatings, while the Finnish company LignoSphere (lignosphere.fi) is working on wood-based, carbon neutral adhesives, coatings and paints.  

This article was originally published in the April 2023 issue.