Torrefication

Torrefication is a process of heating wood in an oxygen-free environment to remove oils, pitch, sugars, resins, and other vibration-damping volatiles. It’s believed that proper treatment redistributes lignin, the “glue” that bonds cellulose fibers, resulting in wood that is measurably stiffer, weighs less, and vibrates more efficiently than un-torrefied wood. Under a microscope, torrefied wood looks much like wood that was naturally cured for many decades.