At the end of 2017 the BECK Fastener Group launched a wood nail system onto the market and, just a year later it improved on the proposition. Its invention – LignoLoc – is now being sold in the UK by Young Black, which has an exclusive distributorship deal with the Austrian manufacturer.
BECK says that LignoLoc nails, which are made from European beech, can be used as a fastening aid in cross-laminated timber (CLT) production. It is also being marketed as ideal for prefabrication of laminated timber ceilings and in the production of solid wood wall systems.
The company adds that it is as quick to use as aluminium nails and promises visual, thermal, financial and ecological benefits.
In fact, LignoLoc wooden nails are already being employed successfully as an alternative to aluminium nails in CLT production in Austria, Germany and Switzerland. During the bonding process in the vacuum press, the layers are protected from slipping and the vacuum film from damage due to protruding nails.
Particular attention has been paid to the appearance of the CLT visible layer and, in contrast to metal nails, LignoLoc wooden nails blend into the overall appearance. Furthermore, the material similarity has thermal benefits – the wooden nails form no thermal bridges. They also leave no trace of corrosion and are resistant to fungal infestation.
In the adhesive-free production of cross-laminated timber, board layers are held in place by small wooden dowels until they are secured with large dowels. Traditionally, the small dowels are inserted into predrilled holes for this purpose. LignoLoc wooden nails are driven in direct with a pneumatic nailer, without any pre-drilling, thereby reducing production time enormously.
Last December BECK launched its new F60 LignoLoc wood nail system, which offers larger dimensions, better pull-out and shear values and more possibilities for ecological timber construction.
The system consists of the F60 LignoLoc pneumatic nailer and beech wood nails with a length of 45-90mm in diameters of 4.7 and 5.3mm.
When LignoLoc nails are driven in they fuse with the surrounding wood, forming an inseparable bond. This effect – referred to as lignin welding – has been tested and verified by scientists at the University of Hamburg and led to a publication in the European Journal of Wood and Wood Products in January 2018.
Environmental credentials
BECK says that the wood nails have exemplary environmental credentials, from production through to recycling.
“European beech is a renewable raw material with short transport routes,” said a company spokesperson. “And, according to a study by the Nova Institute, the production of a LignoLoc wood nail creates only a quarter of the greenhouse gases compared to a technically comparable steel nail.”
With the granting of the construction approval for the LignoLoc wood nails, the application possibilities in timber construction will expand even more in the future. At the moment, the necessary long-term studies are being carried out and the evaluation of the results are expected by September.
Young Black director Lawrence Young said LignoLoc is “a very exciting product with many potential applications.” He added that, along with the construction of timber frame products, these include the manufacture of high end farm gates and sheds.
