• Tanalith® E treated timber met the BOSJES farm project brief for ‘green’ eco-sensitive design.
• With Ecospecifier Global accreditation, Tanalith®E wood preservative satisfies many green building and sustainability standards.
• Tanalith®E wood preservative is subject to Arxada’s broad global regulatory expertise, toxicology and analytical chemistry skills.

The natural beauty and timeless appeal of wood is the architectural highlight of the innovative design of the Winkel & Spens at BOSJES farm, situated in the Western Cape. A key focus of the project was creating landscaped gardens spread across three sloping terraces.  The terraces are connected by a curving pathway that provides access between the woodland landscape, forested play areas, spacious lawns, and conservation garden.

When it came to designing the landscape and custom playground structures, meeting the project’s environmental credentials for a ‘green’ eco-sensitive design was top of mind for Square One Landscape Architects.

Hugo van Niekerk, the senior landscape architect involved in the BOSJES  project, elaborated, “Our work focuses on designing with nature-based solutions that extend their natural service life, so the choice of wood preservative treatment was an important consideration. We needed a product that maintained the beauty and functionality of the wood without compromising the ethics of ‘green’ garden design”.

Tanalith® E wood preservative ticked all the boxes and provided the added peace of mind that comes with using a globally recognised brand which has a proven successful history, when applied to good quality wood in accordance with the standards.

JJ du Plessis, the senior regional sales manager at Arxada, trading as Arch Wood Protection South Africa, said, “We design industry-leading technologies that extend the life of wood – helping to make the most of the most sustainable and construction material.  As a long-standing respected supplier in the field of wood protection, our brands instil confidence, making wood resistant to wood decay and insect attack, while enhancing its natural beauty.”

Treatment classification
To meet the project’s requirement for landscape edging between the raised planted beds and walkways, 50×152 S5 structural timber was pressure treated with the Tanalith® E wood preservative at The Poleyard’s treatment plant. To allow for water contact from the irrigation and some retention ponds, the timber was treated to the H5 hazard classification for in ground contact with fresh water.

Where plantation pine timber was employed, Tanalith® E wood preservative was required as it is particularly suitable for the treatment of wood where frequent and direct human contact is expected, such as the custom designed play equipment in this project. It is also extremely effective in this type of application and gives an extended life to plantation Pine and Eucalyptus,” explained Leeroy Deane, co-owner of the Riversdale Sawmill.

A more sustainable choice
Tanalith® E is subject to Arxada’s broad global regulatory expertise, toxicology and analytical chemistry skills. After undergoing rigorous assessments, Tanalith®E preservative was independently verified by Ecospecifier Global as likely to contribute to the achievement of Green Building rating credits.

The first Tanalith® E formulation was sold in Scandinavia in 1992 as an alternative to wood preservatives containing arsenic and chrome in the formulation. Tanalith® E is a water-based, copper azole, high pressure wood preservative. The primary active ingredient is copper, formulated in conjunction with the organic co-biocides.

Hazard class uses
Tanalised® E preservative protects wood against the effects of the weather, wood decay and insect attack in hazard classes H2 (interior), H3 (exterior), H4 (in ground contact) and H5 (in ground contact with fresh water but not for marine applications). The wood preservative is applied under pressure in a wood treatment vessel in a controlled environment and can be used on both sawn timber and wooden poles. It is important to note that timber or poles that have been cut or notched out should be resealed with Enseal green.

Other notable projects
Tanalith® E preservative is a well-known brand associated with quality and has been used internationally for many years. Locally, Tanalith® E treated timber was used in the restoration of Chapman’s Peak boardwalk in the Western Cape, for the enclosures and walkways at the Johannesburg Zoo and in the construction of the Vodafone Site Solution Innovation Centre in Gauteng.

About the Winkel & Spens project at BOSJES farm
The Spens & Winkel project is the next evolution phase since the opening of the BOSJES farm in the Breede River Valley of the Western Cape in March 2017. Set amid imaginatively landscaped indigenous gardens, the new high design pantry-style farm and coffee shop is a creative collaboration between architect Coetzee Steyn, of Steyn Studio and Square One Landscape Architects. Meyer & Associates Architects was appointed to assist Coetzee Steyn and Square One Landscape Architects with the execution of the project, as the project architects and principal agent.

Source: Arch Wood Protection