Inflating Wood

Product	door panel
Designer	Malcolm Jordan
Materials	wood veneer with foam core
Manufacturer	Curvy Composites
Country	UK
Date	2005

The undulating, compound, organic curves that are the result of this unique process allow thin wooden veneers to take on a visual quality that is perfectly suited to the natural tactile warmth of wood.

Wood may have been one of the materials used earliest by humans to produce objects, but there are many new methods of forming and transforming various forms of this basic material into new states. Most wood is transformed by being attacked with blades, but the process discussed below is a much gentler way of forming wood that relies to a large extent on the individual pattern of the grain to control the final outcome.

The process of cross-grain laminating veneers of wood was invented by the ancient Egyptians; the technique of bending plywood to introduce curves developed far more recently; and the new process of inflating wood marks the next level of sophistication in wood forming techniques. Forming wood into compound curves has always been a costly and time-consuming process, however, designer Malcolm Jordan has created a unique way of forming plywood into a series of undulating and controlled forms, though the secret of the process remains undisclosed.

The process started life as one of the many inspiring projects that have come out of the three-dimensional design program at Brighton University, on the south coast of England. Malcolm Jordan says, “My background is in aviation. I am a licensed helicopter engineer and being surrounded by lightweight composite structures might have informed the line of experimentation. I tried a series of experiments with various core materials between thin plywood skins.” The final product is a composite structure, with plywood skins sandwiching a foam core. Areas of the plywood surfaces are clamped in a retaining jig. Expanding liquid foam is introduced, and the unretained surfaces move freely to form compound curves. The sizes of these wavy forms and the technique are not restricted to linear and parallel boards, but are based solely on the predetermined plywood stock sheet sizes.

1 A metal jig is set up that will hold the plywood panel.

2 Final preparation of the plywood before the introduction of the foam.

3 Finishing the molded panel.

4 A cross-section of a sample showing the foam core.

–  The resulting component combines lightness with strength, distributing the load through the plywood skins.

–  High-impact resistance, with thermal and acoustic isolation potential.

–  Removes the need for complex molding techniques, hand carving, or machining.

–  Controlling the foam pressure. At present the quantity and pressure of the injected foam is regulated via inlet- and outlet-restricting devices, although experience has shown that the pressure created can be enough to rupture the plywood (with a big bang).

–  Curving plywood can highlight flaws in the wood, often caused by manufacturing tools when the plywood’s veneers were cut. Careful selection of plywood or a veneer added to the plywood overcomes this.

–  Only available through one manufacturer.