The Löyly was intended to be unique and magical in its own way. The design and location were all carefully considered. However, the use of timber was central to the building’s aesthetics, functionality and charm.
At the initial meeting between the developers and Pekka Ritvanen, Avant Wood’s Chief Technology Officer, it was clear that the timber was to be sourced from small-diameter wood that otherwise would have been used in low-value applications. Birch and pine were recommended to reduce costs. As an added challenge, construction was set to begin in two weeks.
Pekka knew he had the solution that would solve a major challenge that the developers faced to complete the landmark project. Avant Wood’s Thermo-Mechanical Timber Modification (TMTM™) is a Finnish technology that merges thermal treatment and mechanical modification to quickly and efficiently improve wood properties.
TMTM is able to utilize small diameter wood and softwood species, and enhance their strength and density. This enables the use of birch and pine as affordable alternatives to harder species like oak.
It only took the TMTM 6 days to prepare the two 2-meter long table-sized samples according to Pekka. The small-diameter birch and pine wood was acquired in 2 days from local plywood producers. On the 3rd day, modification began. It took 2 days for the samples to be dried and another 2 days for final modifications.
The developers tested the sample by sawing from various angles and were very pleased with the quality and the efficiency in the production of the wood samples. This led to Avant Wood supplying the much needed timber for the project.
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