When discussing the future of construction, one material is increasingly coming into focus: wood. As a renewable resource, it scores not only with a natural appearance but also with a strong climate balance. Wood stores the carbon that trees have previously absorbed from the CO₂ in the atmosphere. Thus, it can contribute to making the building sector more sustainable. This is urgently needed: The production and transport of traditional building materials like concrete and steel cause around ten percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Accordingly, the EU is also relying on sustainable alternatives and promoting the use of renewable resources in construction. Wood is particularly interesting here—especially in long-lasting applications. However, the use of wood in load-bearing structures is technically demanding. Reliable connections are needed, especially in multi-story buildings, roof structures, or extensions. This is where a new product from Interface & Performance comes into play: TEGO Timber 100, a primer for industrial wood processing. This is sprayed onto hardwoods like beech or oak to prepare the surface. This way, polyurethane adhesives adhere better, and the wood can be bonded stably in construction.
Diversity Instead of Spruce
Until now, mainly softwoods like spruce have been used in timber construction. However, the sustainable availability of this resource is increasingly being affected by climate-related factors such as drought periods, storm damage, and bark beetle infestations. At the same time, high-quality hardwoods like beech and oak are available, but they have been more difficult to bond. One reason is that hardwoods are generally much harder and less elastic than softwoods—this means the adhesive joint is more stressed under load.
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»The primer is our introduction to structural timber construction—a market that has hardly been addressed to date but is strategically highly relevant.«
Anke Lewin Head of Applied Technology Adhesives
TEGO Timber 100 provides a solution. The primer was developed by Evonik's strategic innovation unit Creavis in collaboration with Interface & Performance. Feedback from potential customers helped to tailor the product to the requirements of practical application.
“There are currently few solutions for reliably bonding hardwoods,” says Ina Scheipers, Marketing Manager Adhesives at Interface & Performance. Creavis has therefore developed its own primer formulation that makes these woods usable for load-bearing structures.
Strong in Testing
How well the bonding developed in Marl holds is shown in the so-called delamination test. In this test, the wood is alternately exposed to extreme pressure, water, and heat. The aim is to test the stability of the adhesive joints under realistic extreme conditions. The result: While the joints sometimes fail completely without a primer, they remain intact with TEGO Timber 100. The measured delamination was zero percent. Up to four percent is permissible. “If the adhesive joint doesn’t hold, the component breaks,” explains Ruben Richrath, Project Manager at Creavis. “That’s why the delamination test is so crucial: It shows whether the force acting on the component can be reliably transferred.” Especially in timber construction, this is essential: Only if the bonding holds permanently can constructions be realized safely and durably.
New Opportunities
The primer is not only technically convincing, but it also opens up new design possibilities. Architectural firms increasingly desire greater flexibility in material choice and design. With hardwood, more delicate structures can be realized than with spruce—this reduces component heights, enables slimmer supports, and creates more usable space, especially in multi-story buildings. Even with visible wooden elements—such as facade elements or interior design—more durable woods are beneficial. They are more robust and appear more high-quality.
Door Opener to the Market
The development in the overall market is dynamic: Current studies predict a global market volume of up to 490 billion US dollars for wood materials by 2030, with annual growth of around seven percent. Reasons include not only the favorable climate balance but also tangible economic advantages: Wood is lighter than concrete or steel, shortens construction times, and reduces transport and foundation costs—a benefit not only when adding to existing buildings but also in new construction. Especially in cities, where space is scarce and building ground is often challenging, such efficiency gains are crucial.
With TEGO Timber 100, Interface & Performance can participate in this growing market. “The primer is our entry into structural wood bonding—a market that has hardly been addressed so far but is strategically highly relevant,” says Anke Lewin, Head of Applied Technology Adhesives. To make existing adhesive systems more robust and versatile, Creavis is already working on additional additives for wood bonding. Here, softwoods and conifers are also part of the research field. Synergies within Evonik are to be utilized—such as where experience with heat-resistant applications already exists.
The development of TEGO Timber 100 is an example of successful collaboration between the Business Line and Creavis. While Creavis was responsible for technical development and market orientation, Interface & Performance takes on marketing—including customer access and development into new applications. “For us, it’s exciting to dive into a completely new application,” says Ina Scheipers. “Especially for our sales colleagues, it’s a great opportunity to connect with new customers and topics—far beyond the known portfolio.”
Wrapping up: The Advantages of the Primer
- Supports sustainable construction and reduces CO₂ emissions as well as dependence on softwood
- Enables the bonding of hardwood and thus expands the raw material base for timber construction
- Opens up new design and construction possibilities
- Increases the stability and durability of wood composite materials
- Is compatible with existing polyurethane adhesives
