Ayous and Fraké: Differences & similarities at a glance
Ayous and Fraké are popular types of wood for the production of wooden facade cladding. Ayous is also known as Abachi, and Fraké is also known as Limba. Both are examples of thermally modified wood.
Ayous and Fraké are two different types of wood. They have many similarities, but there are also some differences. In this expert article, we explain the key similarities and differences to help you choose the right products.
Similarities between Ayous and Fraké
- Both are African and quick-growing hardwood and therefore deciduous tree species.
- Both types of wood are usually offered thermally modified. Before they are modified, they are very light, almost white woods and are not durable. The modification gives the wood a durability class of 1 to 2, which means a durability of 20/25 years or longer.
- Color; Both become golden brown in color due to the modification.
Price category; There are some differences in price, but they are not very significant. Other types of wood such as red cedar and padouk have risen sharply in price due to developments in recent years. Thermally modified wood in general, on the other hand, has not become significantly more expensive.
Key differences
- Fraké is not only a little harder after the treatment, but also a little heavier.
- Fraké is around 10-15% more expensive than Ayous. Ayous is currently around €75 per square meter, excluding VAT, and Fraké is around €85.
Fraké has more grain in the wood. This gives the facade a slightly busier and darker look. - Ayous is more easily available in the desired dimensions. We have enough stock of Ayous so you can order as per your needs. This means you can buy exactly the number of boards in whatever measurements you need.
- With Fraké we often purchase this on a project-by-project basis and the flexibility is somewhat less. You may need to remove more weight than you need or the lengths may not be exactly what you want.
Other thermally modified wood species
In addition to Fraké and Ayous, other types of wood are also thermally modified.
The most common of these are listed in the overview below. We have listed the most striking characteristics for each type of wood.
Thermo Spruce/Fir; Normal spruce wood is also often used in a thermally modified form. The structure and knots of the wood remain clearly visible, giving it a lively appearance and making the facade look much busier. This wood often comes from Scandinavia and is therefore a cheaper alternative.
Thermo Radiata Pine; Radiata Pine is a type of softwood characterized by the beautiful flames in the wood. It is also almost flawless and is therefore very popular for applications in wooden panels and also for facades. This type of wood comes from New Zealand and therefore travels a long way before it is thermally modified here. The well-known Accoya wood is also made from Radiata Pine due to its good properties.
Thermal Poplar; Another type of wood from the region, similar to spruce and pine, is poplar. This wood is grown in plantation forests in France and Germany. Poplar is naturally a very fast-growing type of wood that we know along roads and is often found in the polders in the Netherlands. The wood is almost white. It is also great for thermal modification due to the availability of nice, straight stems.
Thermal Ash; Also a European variant. Often only available in short lengths. It has very beautiful and special patterns in the wood. Even after modification, this wood remains hard and can therefore be used for other purposes such as decking in addition to cladding.
