Why You Should Be Paying Attention to Superwood?

Every few years, some “miracle material” shows up promising to be the next big thing for construction — and most of the time, it’s all hat, no cattle. But then I came across Superwood, and let’s just say… this one actually made me sit up, dig deeper, and think, “Okay, this could be huge — if it holds up.”

So buckle up. Here’s your no-fluff, all-facts resource on Superwood — what it is, how it’s made, how strong it actually is, and what it could mean for your old house or preservation project.

What is Superwood?

Superwood is an advanced wood product developed by InventWood, a materials science company spun out of the University of Maryland. It’s not fake wood, not plastic, not a composite pretending to be historic — it’s real wood, supercharged through some cutting-edge science.

In plain English: They take fast-growing, sustainable wood (think softwoods like poplar, pine, or similar species), treat it, compress it, and basically turn it into a wood product that’s stronger than steel, tougher than traditional lumber, and still looks and feels like wood.

The goal? Give us a renewable, eco-friendly material that performs like the heavy-hitters (steel, concrete, even exotic hardwoods) without the drawbacks…I’m looking at you wood rot.

How is Superwood Made?

Here’s the Cliff Notes version (without making your eyes glaze over):

1. Delignification
   The process starts by removing a good portion of the lignin — the natural glue that holds wood fibers together. Lignin gives wood its color and rigidity but removing some of it opens up the structure.
2. Densification
   After that, the wood is compressed under intense heat and pressure, squeezing the cellulose fibers tightly together. Imagine squishing the grain of wood into an ultra-dense, ultra-strong material.
3. Chemical Treatment (Optional)
   In some prototypes, additional treatments are added to increase water resistance, durability, and other performance factors.

The result? A wood product that retains its natural beauty but with significantly boosted strength and durability.

How Strong is Superwood… Really?

Stronger than steel? That sounds like marketing fluff, right? But according to peer-reviewed studies, Superwood is:

✅ 11x Stronger than natural wood
✅ 4x Harder (resistant to dents and wear)
✅ Tougher and more impact-resistant than many metals
✅ Comparable in strength-to-weight ratio to steel and titanium

Translation: You could build with it like wood, but expect it to perform like engineered steel in certain applications. Crazy…if it’s true.

For comparison:

• Regular pine? Nice for trim and framing, but pretty soft.
• Superwood? Tough enough to be used for structural parts, high-traffic exterior components, and anywhere you’d normally worry about rot, dents, or failure.

Where is Superwood Made?

Right now, Superwood is being developed and scaled up right here in the United States, with production rooted in InventWood’s partnerships, primarily in Maryland and surrounding regions.

This isn’t some imported, questionable product with a mystery supply chain. It’s born from U.S.-based research with a focus on sustainable forestry and eco-conscious production methods.

Is it Rot-Resistant?

Here’s the juicy part for all of us in the window, door, and historic exterior world:

The densification and structural changes from Superwood’s process naturally make it “highly resistant to moisture intrusion”, one of the key culprits behind rot. In lab tests:

• Water absorption is dramatically reduced compared to untreated wood.
• The dense, compressed fiber structure leaves fewer gaps for moisture or fungal growth.
• When combined with finishing treatments (like traditional paints, oils, or stains), early results suggest Superwood could outperform many rot-resistant species — think cypress, cedar, even mahogany — but using fast-growing, sustainable softwoods.

Is it completely immune to rot? Nothing natural truly is. But compared to pine or even fir? It’s night and day. My question is how will this stack up against Accoya?

When Will Superwood Be Available?

Here’s the current timeline scoop:

• InventWood is still scaling up production and finalizing real-world product lines.
• They’ve already developed Superwood panels, construction-grade lumber prototypes, and are in talks with manufacturers across industries — including building materials.
• Consumer and contractor-ready products? Expected within the next 1-2 years, based on public reports and industry chatter.

And yes — the folks at InventWood have openly discussed plans for Superwood window parts, trim, cladding, and other architectural applications down the line.

In other words: We’re not there yet, but we’re close enough that the preservation world should be watching this like a hawk. The word is interior applications rolling out summer 2025 and exterior products in fall of 2025.

Why Should Preservation Pros Care?

Because this could help solve two massive headaches:

1. The Disappearing Old-Growth Problem
   Old-growth lumber? Hard to find. Expensive when you can. Superwood uses fast-growing, sustainable trees — think farmed pine — but gives them the durability we love from heart pine or old-growth fir.
2. Structural Wood Options
   Sometimes we are stuck using steel elements to retrofit the structures of historic building due to materials strength and availability. With Superwood these supports can be all wood just like the structures originally were making them more historically accurate.

Superwood won’t replace the craftsmanship of good joinery, or the beauty of true historic materials. But when it comes to new components — storm windows, shutters, exterior trim — that blend performance with authenticity, this could be a massive leap forward.

Final Thoughts: Snake Oil or Real Deal?

The cautious preservationist in me says, “Let’s see how this holds up in the real world.” But the materials nerd and business owner in me? I’m intrigued. Superwood could:

✅ Reduce reliance on imported tropical hardwoods
✅ Give us strong, beautiful, real wood products for harsh environments
✅ Offer a sustainable alternative that keeps old buildings standing

Will it live up to the hype? Time will tell. But this isn’t vinyl, fiber cement, or plastic wood — this is real wood, engineered for the 21st century.

We’re watching Superwood closely at Austin Historical. As soon as it’s ready for prime time, you better believe we’ll be testing it in the field — windows, doors, and beyond. Stay tuned.

What do you think? Is Superwood the future of preservation-friendly materials, or just another lab experiment destined for the scrap pile? Drop your thoughts in the comments — let’s geek out together.