Creating a strong connection of wood and adhesive – Kiilto helping start a log factory
Vaaran Palkki had a new log factory built. Kiilto took part in the new factory right from the start.
The Vaara Group has expanded its business by having a log factory built in Finland to serve builders of log houses. The Vaara Group, a family business with a long history, already included a forestry company and sawmill, and it is known especially of its painted exterior cladding products.
”The log factory was the next, natural step for us. With it, we can increase even further the processing degree of wood, especially pine,” says Vaaran Palkki’s CEO Janne Vaara.
A bond that holds
Vaaran Palkki works in close cooperation with Kiilto. Non-settling logs not only require sturdy wood, but also adhesive to keep the log elements together.
”When adhesive is used to create structural wood, the adhesives have precise certificates and quality requirements,” says Juha Rinne, Solutions Manager at Kiilto.
”Together with the Vaara people, we found solutions that suited them. When selecting an adhesive, we have to take into account, for example, open times and press times,” adds Henri Ahonen, a Kiilto Regional Manager.
The log factory uses two adhesives, and depending on the point in the factory, the elements are connected differently.
”In finger joints, the log elements become longer. In side gluing, the elements are glued to each other on their narrow sides. In lamellar gluing, the wider sides are glued to each other,” says Vaara.
Kiilto training the staff
Kiilto also trained the staff of Vaaran Palkki factory, who naturally had no experience in gluing log elements.
The training involved the proper use of adhesives, gluing devices, chemical safety issues – and, importantly, the use of quality control devices.
”In quality control, we analysed test samples taken from the production line in the laboratory. The test samples are made wet by pressurised methods, and then dried. After that we find out whether this operation affected the gluing,” says Janne Vaara.
He is very satisfied with the partnership with Kiilto.
”Kiilto experts are easily accessible, should we need any advice or tips. They can also arrive on site quickly, if necessary.”
Log houses going strong
The Vaaran Palkki log factory has got off to a good start, and the future looks promising, too.
”Wood construction has increased on the whole, but log construction in particular, by about 10 per cent annually,” says the CEO with a smile.
He thinks this can be explained by environmental reasons: use of wood reduces the carbon footprint, and the carbon sequestered in the structures remains there for a long time.
”Log houses are also known for their good indoor air,” says Janne Vaara.
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