Overview

The six steps

Essays Essay 1 Using Clear Penetrating Epoxy Sealer™ (also known as CPES™ as well as MultiWoodPrime™) as a Primer for Paint or Varnish (New)   Essay 2 APPLYING VARNISH (New)   Essay 3 An introduction to paint, varnish and the Lignu Resin on wood   Essay 4 Clear coatings on wood   Essay 5 HOW DOES WOOD ROT?   Essay 6 How to get more life from paint on old, weathered wood   Essay 7 THE HISTORY OF WOOD RESTORATION   Essay 8 HOW TO BUILD AND MAINTAIN EXTERIOR WOOD STRUCTURES   Essay 9 Definitions   Essay 10 What's the Matter?

The process of restoration begins with the removal of completely
decomposed wood, as shown in examples #1 & #2.

The restorable wood is
then impregnated with the Lignu Impregnating Resin (example #3).

Missing portions of the original wood are then replaced with a filler
(example #4) made largely from the natural resins of wood, as is the
Lignu Impregnating Resin. When the filler cures, it will have a
flexibility comparable to the original wood.

The filler may be easily shaped to the original contour (example #5
and #6).

Before painting, one more coat of the Lignu Impregnating
Resin helps the paint bond better to the wood and filler.

The final result is deteriorated wood restored, capable of many
additional years of service.

Glu-Lam Impregnation Comparison



These two laminated beam sections were adjacent slices, cut
side-by-side and one treated, so you could compare the
almost-identical wood before and after impregnation. The fungi that
cause rot leave an abnormal porosity in apparently-sound wood near the
decay. This is why rot starts up again behind conventional repairs
with other products.
The slice on the right was treated with Lignu ® Impregnating Resin
dyed blue, so that regions of abnormal porosity would be visible after
impregnation. The wood was placed in a shallow tray and the liquid
wicked up into the wood. In only a few minutes, in regions where the
fungi had eaten the wood, the dyed resin was now visible. The Lignu ®
Impregnating resin penetrates deteriorated wood much more than sound
wood, because it has more porosity.

These regions are now impregnated with a highly rot-resistant and
water-repellent resin, and useful mechanical properties are restored.
This treatment improves the ability of the wood to resist further
deterioration.

This is the first step in the restoration process. When finally
painted, the impregnating resin glues the paint to the wood, so it
sticks better and lasts longer.

IMPREGNATION OF WOOD
Facts about the Lignu technology


The above diagram shows the distribution of stress failure for naturalwood specimens in a standard test fixture.


This diagram shows the distribution of stress failure for woodspecimens that have been impregnated with the Lignu ImpregnatingResin.Note that the average strength has increased to 141% of original.Note also that the strength of the weakest untreated specimens hasbeen doubled by the impregnation treatment.

Depth of impregnation



A blue dye was added to our impregnation in order to show the depth of
penetration. Notice how penetration follows the pattern and direction
of the grain. Notice the extent of impregnation into the deteriorated,
porous wood near the nail, which penetrated the wood and thus allowed
fungi to enter and follow the grain.

Water absorption after water immersion.

The water absorption of wood specimens before and after impregnation
is shown, for a deteriorated Douglas fir 2 x 2 and a new cedar
shingle. In both cases the water absorption is dramatically reduced,
but it is clear that the wood is still allowed to breathe naturally,
otherwise the water absorption after impregnation would have been zero.

1. Before impregnation of deteriorated Douglas fir.
2. After impregnation of deteriorated Douglas fir.
3. Before impregnation of new cedar shingle.
4. After impregnation of new cedar shingle.
   
   
   In America Lignu ® Impregnating Resin is also known as MultiPrime