Shipments of fresh Fraké arrive at our yard — and who doesn’t know the smell of freshly sawn wood? This is our “white stock”: wood that has not yet undergone any treatment. Upon intake, we perform the first of our three quality checks and schedule it into the production process.
Moisture content of fraké
When it arrives, Fraké wood is moist to wet, with a moisture content ranging between 20% and 80%. Several factors influence this: How long was the transport? Was there wind? Where on the ship was the wood stored?
In a drying chamber, we first reduce the moisture content to about 14% — or to the Equilibrium Moisture Content (EMC) at which Fraké wood remains dimensionally stable. Once the desired level is reached, the wood proceeds to the next step: thermolysis.
(Foto: Platowood thermolyse - Michèle Giebing)
Fraké undergoes our ‘platonizing’ process
Platowood operates two autoclaves, allowing us to treat 40 m³ of wood per cycle. Under saturated steam, the wood is boiled until its core reaches 167°C.
After thermolysis, the wood returns to the drying chamber for 1–2 weeks, where it's carefully dried to 8% moisture — a gradual process that prevents cracking.
The Fraké then enters the oven. In this phase, we bake the wood at a relatively low temperature. What comes out is modified Fraké. Are we ready to call it Platowood Fraké now? Almost.
Post-baking, the wood is extremely dry. To continue processing, it must regain some moisture. That’s why the final step is conditioning: the wood is placed in an environment of 70°C and 100% humidity for two days. After that, we plane the raw boards on-site, and apply a finish if needed.
A truly unique durability process
There’s a reason we say Platowood has a unique method for enhancing fast-growing wood species. We’re the only company in the world that combines boiling and baking in its modification process. This offers quality advantages:
Because we steam the wood first, we can bake it at lower temperatures — which helps preserve the strength and resilience of the final product.
To ensure quality, we carry out two more checks: a strict sorting after treatment, and another after planing.
Properties of Platowood Fraké
The result is Platowood Fraké: a sustainable, A-quality wood product that is dimensionally stable and boasts a lifespan of at least 50 years. Wood that would otherwise degrade quickly or go unused can now be applied outdoors — in large volumes.
It’s ideal for cladding, but also suitable for frames and doors. Fraké is a characterful wood with a warm, elegant, and exotic appearance. We’re still in love — and we’re glad that many architects are already incorporating Platowood Fraké into their designs. For inspiration and application ideas, explore some of our Fraké wood projects Want to see and smell the wood for yourself? You can easily request a sample.
Interested in the story of Fraké before it reaches us, and how responsible forest management works? Be sure to read Part 1 of Fraké: From Forest to Platowood Fraké.