Marine Maple
Responsible yachting demands a sustainable future.
Heat treating wood is a system that has been used to harden wood for centuries. In the late 20th century, in Europe, the original system of heating wood in an oxygen free oven was started to meet the building industry’s demand for:
Durable wooden cladding for buildings.
As a building material in construction.
Boardwalks and smaller piers and jetties.
Flooring.
With the decrease in availability of mature teak, and the new sustainable wave that has been sweeping the nautical industry, we are now promoting “Marine Maple” as the clear alternative to teak decking.
Why change?
History
Has shown us that to develop and progess you have to change with the times.
Technology
Has let us progress from flint stones to matches, from horses to cars, and now teak to thermally treated maple.
Sustainability
Is the catch word of the 21st century. Mature Burmese teak is in very scarce supply with dubious controls over logging. Maple is 100% sustainable and highly controlled in the USA. And in addition has a zero carbon footprint!
Why stop using teak?
The best teak in the world comes from Burma/Myanmar. It has been used extensively in yachting for decks and exterior furniture for many years and has become the accepted industry standard.
Due to extensive felling, illegal harvesting and a great deal of corruption, the great teak forests of southeast Asia have been decimated. The prized Burmese teak is now in short supply.
Plantation teak is an alternative, however there are downsides to this fast grown timber:
Less growth rings widely spaced i.e. less grain.
Less density allows for warping and bowing.
Pin knots (from pruning lower branches).
The end result is teak, but not strong and unblemished as the “original Burmese teak”.
And now with the political problems in Burma/Myanmar, EUTR (EU Timber Regulation) has said it is illegal, from June 2021, to import teak into Europe from Myanmar.
3 good questions
Why American hard maple?
100% sustainable
Grown extensively across north America.
The total area grown in a year exceeds the harvested amounts. Latest figures show the growth was 19.1 million m3, and the amount harvested was 10.2 m3, so an excess of 8.8 million m3.
Fast growing: In the farmed forests of America, 1m3 grows in 3.31 seconds!
To deck the average 70m motor yacht, including waste in the production process, you would require 24m3. That means a 70m motor yacht´s entire deck can be regrown in 79.44 seconds!
Why thermally treated?
Thermally modified wood has been proven to be stronger than the original wood.
Durable in adverse conditions.
There are no chemicals, oils or any other substance added to the wood.
The now dry wood becomes unattractive to insects and bugs making it resistant to rot and fungus.
Why "Marine Maple"?
“Marine Maple” is our version of thermally treated American hard maple.
Through experimentation and close cooperation with the lumber yard in the USA, and a European deck specialist company, we have managed to adjust the temperature and the time that the wood is treated at, to produce a light golden colour comparable with teak.
It has all the benefits of a thermally treated wood.
It has all the benefits of an entirely sustainable species.
It has a zero-carbon footprint.
It has NO ADDED CHEMICALS, therefore nontoxic.
Easy and nontoxic disposal at end of life.
100% legal timber.
It looks like teak.
It weathers to grey in the same way as teak.
It is wood, so feels like wood underfoot!
In trials, there were no adhesion problems with either Bostik or Sikaflex caulking material.
Hours
Visit by Appointment. Contact by phone or email:
034 647 830 006
info@marinemaple.com
Mon – Fri: 08.00 – 17.00
Sat: Closed
Sun: Closed
Get in Touch
C. Poima 6b, 07011 Palma de Mallorca.
info@marinemaple.com
0034 647 830 006