Indure; FSC certified, NAUF (no added urea formaldehyde), post industrial recycled wood fiber board
Orient; NAUF (no added urea formaldehyde), post industrial recycled wood chip board
Durum; Urea formaldehyde free, post agricultural recycled wheat, rapidly renewable
Seeta; Urea formaldehyde free, post agricultural recycled sunflower hulls, rapidly renewable
Tiikeri; Urea formaldehyde free, post agricultural recycled sorghum, rapidly renewable
Parda; FSC certified, NAUF (no added urea formaldehyde), post industrial recycled wood fiber board
Hemp; Urea formaldehyde free, post agricultural recycled hemp, rapidly renewable

We do not claim that the acrylic resin that we infuse with is "green". Our resin is an inert material that is nontoxic, which creates the hardness and durability needed to use TorZo products in high traffic environments. In our LEED summary sheet, we give a weight % of the acrylic resin that is in the board. When using TorZo products in a LEED project, the user can claim only a % of the applicable LEED points. On a relative basis, among green products, the TorZo sustainable content is considered high. Below is a summary of these percentages.

Indure-65% sustainable board, 35% acrylic resin
Orient-75% sustainable raw board, 25% acrylic resin
Durum-70% sustainable raw board, 30% acrylic resin
Seeta-70% sustainable raw board, 30% acrylic resin
Tiikeri-50% sustainable raw board, 50% acrylic resin
Parda-65% sustainable raw board, 35% acrylic resin
Hemp-60% sustainable raw board, 40% acrylic resin

The infusion process makes the TorZo surface products much more water and stain resistant, but it DOES NOT make them water or stain proof. The TorZo panel materials that we sell are "filled and sanded," but do not have this final top coat pre-applied. Therefore, as part of the fabrication process, we require that a hard sealer and top coat, such as a catalyzed lacquer, varnish or polyurethane, etc, are applied. This coating gives the finished project its protection from water and stains. It is important to specify a full fill finish, meaning no pits, for all horizontal applications.

All TorZo products have a Class "C" fire rating. There are standard coatings on the market that can be applied which will give the TorZo products a Class "B" or Class "A" rating. Sherwin Williams has a product called "Sayerlack," which provides a clear surface and does not detract from the look of TorZo. A water-based material manufactured by Flame Control will also work.

TorZo does not recommend any specific company's coating. Most millwork shops have spray booths and will use whatever they have in-house and what they feel comfortable using. We only require that it be a "hard" coating (meaning that it must be a coating that dries hard, such as a urethane, catalyzed lacquer, varnish, etc. TorZo does NOT recommend any rub-on oil finishes, such as a tongue or teak oil, because these types of finishes will not provide the water or stain resistance that TorZo recommends. Also, TorZo recommends using a spray-on coating only. In our experience, the roller or brush-on hard finishes do not create a clean "look."

Many of the new polyurethanes are considered to be repairable coatings using rubbing compounds. Mohawk finishing has several different products, different ones for different gloss levels. Repairs are limited to superficial or minor scratches and do not apply to scratches that penetrate to the TorZo substrate. For these deeper scratches, the surface would need to be re-sanded and re-coated following the coating manufacturer's recommendations.

All of our products, with the exception of Indure and Parda, go through a "fill and sand" process in order to fill most of the surface voids. Indure and Parda do not have surface voids. It is important not to over-sand the surface or voids will be re-introduced. This will show up as "pitting" or "cratering" when a coating is applied.

Both the Seeta and Tiikeri will still have some voids even after the fill and sand process is applied. It is important to have a full fill finish, meaning no pits, for all horizontal applications. This especially applies to the Seeta and Tiikeri materials. For smaller jobs, fabricators can use a best color match solid surface epoxy, a sawdust/super glue mixture, or some kind of wood filler. For larger jobs we recommend using either a zero VOC 2-part polymer epoxy called Crystal Sheen manufactured by Environment Technologies, Inc., or a polyester product distributed by Sherwin Williams. Both these products can essentially be applied by using a squeegee and for the Tiikeri it takes 2 applications to fully fill the voids. Following the fill process, any lacquer, urethane or conversion varnish can be applied.

Built-up edges, mitered edges and edge banding are the three edging techniques that are used on TorZo products. Refer to the TorZo Edge Support Document for more information.

TorZo recommends using a solid surface epoxy or like product for edge gluing or seaming applications. Titebond II type products will work but you need to allow for the longer dry times.

MDF or plywood are typically used and are recommended.

Liquid Nails, contact cement or most any silicon based adhesives are great for this application. Willamette Valley has a zero VOC adhesive similar to Liquid Nails called Extreme that works equally well. The zero VOC Crystal Sheen void filling product mentioned above can also be used to glue the TorZo products to a base substrate.

No. These materials have very similar "minimal" expansion/contraction rates. It is always good when fabricating a mitered edge to allow for a 1/8" gap to accommodate any differences that that may arise in extreme environments.

Over 95% of all TorZo products have been installed in commercial applications. TorZo was initially promoted primarily through commercial architects and designers. Also, there is currently greater demand for sustainable products in the commercial market as compared to the residential market.

These installations include high-wear commercial environments such as airports, restaurants, banks, libraries, universities, middle and high schools, a fire station, professional offices, museums, grocery stores, condo projects, etc.

Commercial
Vertical
Any vertical application is ideal for all TorZo products including:
Paneling
Wainscot
Signage
Cabinetry
Booth and bathroom stall dividers (1/2" minimum thickness to ensure rigidity and flatness)

Horizontal
Due to their hardness and durability, TorZo products are appropriate for horizontal, high-wear applications:
Restaurant table tops
Bar tops
Transaction tops, such as banks and high volume retail environments,
Furniture, such as desk tops, work stations, conference tables,
Reception Desks
Vanity tops and Countertops

EXCEPTIONS
Not recommended for:
Exterior applications
Commercial kitchens
Undermount sinks*

* Undermount sinks are not appropriate for any of our agricultural fiber products, including Durum, Seeta and Tiikeri. This is due to the coarse core that is associated with these raw products. Though some of these products have been used in this application successfully, all exposed voids on the edges must be filled with epoxy and then sealed and coated with the same products applied to the surface. Failing to do so will allow water to penetrate into the core and cause flaking or bubbling of the surface over time.