Zum konstruktiven Holzschutz mit hochelastischen Polyurethan-Spritzelastomeren

Highly elastic polyurethane coating with 2 to 3 mm thickness for constructive wood protection

Architects and engineers develop an increasing interest in sustainable timber structures with a contemporary and modern design. This aim is hampered by the established detailing of timber structures, which for example requires roof overhangs and steel sheet cladding to prevent the timber from weathering. In recent projects architects and engineers tried a new method of constructive wood protection to realize their modern design concepts: A 2 to 3 mm thick, highly elastic polyurethane coating is sprayed onto the wood. This coating is capable of bridging opening gaps, in the tests up to 5 mm in width, while remaining watertight. This type of water proofing is successfully employed on concrete for about 25 years. Its permeability for water vapour with an sd-value of about 1.8 m makes it well suited for timber structures. In a research project the Technische Universität Berlin investigated this new type of wood protection. Polyurethane coatings of three different manufacturers were tested on multiple substrates like gluelam, cross laminated timber, oriented strand board, medium density fibre board and laminated veneer lumber. Half of the test specimens were exposed to artificial weathering before the tests, the other half remained unweathered. Tests of the resistance to delamination were carried out as well as tensile and fatigue tests which were followed by tests assessing the water tightness. Some specimens were exposed to outside climate for two years and a full size facade element was tested in the EOTA facade testing stand.