Alfa NT joins the Alfaflor range: a new flame-retardant saturator for exterior wood
Alfaflor extends its range with Alfa NT, a product designed for the fire protection of bare exterior wood. It answers a precise need: treating wood elements that are visible on a façade or as exterior cladding, while keeping the natural appearance of the material.
With this new flame-retardant saturator, Alfaflor offers a solution aimed at projects where reaction to fire, a discreet finish and compatibility with exterior softwoods all have to be reconciled. On this page we set out what the arrival of Alfa NT changes in the range, how it works, which substrates suit it and the points to know before application.
To go straight to the product, go to the Alfa NT page in the wood flame-retardant range.
Key points
- Alfa NT is a new flame-retardant saturator for bare exterior wood.
- The product works by micro-impregnation and forms no visible film at the surface.
- It is intended for exterior softwoods such as spruce, larch or western red cedar.
- The expected performance rests on an uptake of 350 g/m².
- The substrate must be clean, dry, bare and free of any coating.
- This addition completes the Alfaflor range alongside the intumescent varnishes and the other flame-retardant solutions.
New Alfaflor product → Bare exterior wood → Micro-impregnation → Natural look preserved
Why does this new product belong in the Alfaflor range?
Fire protection for wood does not come down to a single family of products. Indoors, some projects call for an intumescent varnish, while others need an impregnation suited to the substrate. Outdoors the question becomes more specific, because the treatment also has to account for how the wood is exposed and for the finish you want.
The arrival of Alfa NT follows that logic. The product completes the solutions already available at Alfaflor by bringing a dedicated answer for bare exterior wood. It is aimed at projects where you want to protect the substrate without creating a visible film-forming layer.
To compare the possible approaches by substrate, you can also read: our article on fire protection for wood.
What sets Alfa NT apart from the other solutions in the range?
Alfa NT stands apart in the way it works. Where some products lay a protective layer on the surface, Alfa NT penetrates the fibres of the wood by micro-impregnation. That approach works the material in depth while keeping the appearance of the visible wood.
It is of particular interest for exterior projects where the look of the wood counts as much as the performance of the treatment. The product does not mask the substrate under a thick film, which is what distinguishes it from a varnish-type solution.
Product note: Alfa NT does not replace every other solution in the range. It completes the existing products with a targeted answer for certain bare exterior woods.
Which projects can Alfa NT be intended for?
This new product can be considered on projects where wood is used outdoors and stays visible once installed. That covers work which calls both for attention to reaction to fire and for a restrained finish on the substrate.
| Type of project | Substrate concerned | What Alfa NT brings |
|---|---|---|
| Exterior cladding | Bare softwood | Protection of the substrate with no visible film |
| Façade lining | Boards and exposed elements | The natural look of the wood is preserved |
| Visible exterior fit-out | Compatible softwood | Impregnation treatment suited to the substrate |
| Project open to the public | Wood elements, according to the site | A solution dedicated to exterior wood is brought in |
Which woods are compatible with Alfa NT?
Alfa NT is intended for certain bare softwoods used outdoors. The species usually associated with this kind of treatment are:
- spruce
- larch
- western red cedar
The substrate must be absorbent, clean and free of any coating. Paint, primer, varnish or another film-forming product can stop the saturator penetrating properly. Before application it is therefore important to identify precisely what the wood really is and what state its surface is in.
If your project is rather an interior substrate, or a wood panel treated at the surface, you can also look at the Alfaflor range of intumescent varnishes.
How does this new flame-retardant saturator work?
Alfa NT works by cellular micro-impregnation. The liquid is absorbed by the wood instead of staying only at the surface. That penetration contributes to protecting the substrate while limiting wash-out and keeping the natural look of the material.
This mode of action makes it of particular interest for projects where you want to avoid a varnished or filmed appearance. The product belongs to a discreet approach to treatment, centred on the material itself.
Visual reference: a properly prepared bare exterior wood stays at the centre of the system. Alfa NT works with the substrate without markedly changing how it reads.
What dose should be respected with Alfa NT?
As with any flame-retardant treatment, the expected result depends on respecting the quantities applied. For Alfa NT, the reference base is an uptake of 350 g/m², spread over the four visible and accessible faces of the substrate.
This point governs the consistency of the treatment. An under-dosed substrate has not received the quantity intended, and must not be considered on the same terms as a substrate treated at the right rate.
| Pack size | Area treated | Basis of calculation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 litre | 3.3 m² | 350 g/m² |
| 5 litres | 16.5 m² | 350 g/m² |
| 10 litres | 33 m² | 350 g/m² |
| 25 litres | 82.5 m² | 350 g/m² |
Application advice, to get to know the product in good conditions
When a new product joins a range, it is worth recalling the basics of careful workmanship. Alfa NT needs a genuinely compatible substrate and a methodical application.
- Analyse the substrate : species, surface condition, cleanliness, porosity.
- Prepare the wood : bare substrate, dry, free of coating and of soiling.
- Spread the product evenly over the accessible faces.
- Let it dry to constant mass, in ambient conditions.
- Let it cure before final exposure.
- Keep the product information with the project file.
For a project that needs support, or treatment of a large volume, you can also look at the wood treatment service by Alfaflor.
Drying
Drying is carried out to constant mass, in ambient conditions.
Alfa NT in the Alfaflor range: for what kind of need?
The arrival of Alfa NT is not there to make every technical answer the same. On the contrary, it lets projects be directed more precisely according to their configuration: bare exterior wood, interior wood, decorative panel, dense substrate or textile substrate.
| Need | Product or family to look at | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Bare exterior wood | Alfa NT | Façades, cladding, exterior linings |
| Interior wood or panels | Intumescent varnishes | Linings, partitions, ceilings, decorative panels |
| Absorbent wood to impregnate | Wood flame retardants | Wood substrates, according to their porosity and their context |
What this new product brings to the way the range reads
With Alfa NT, the Alfaflor range becomes easier to read for wood projects. The product brings a specific answer outdoors, where other references in the range answer indoor uses, surface treatments or other families of material.
It also helps direct professionals, specifiers and project owners according to the substrate actually to be treated, without forcing a single solution onto different materials.
To go deeper into how to choose between the systems, you can also read: our article on choosing between impregnation and varnish.
In summary
The arrival of Alfa NT on the Alfaflor site marks the enrichment of the range with a solution dedicated to bare exterior wood. This new flame-retardant saturator completes the existing products by answering a precise need: protecting certain exterior substrates while keeping their natural look.
If you would like to discover the product, check that it suits your project, or look at the pack sizes, go to the Alfa NT product page and explore the whole Alfaflor flame-retardant range.