At Thermory, we’ve always believed that beautiful, natural wood should perform in demanding, wildfire-prone environments without sacrificing design, durability, or compromising performance. All of our decking species are California WUI-compliant, and today we’re excited to share news about an innovation that moves that mission forward.
We’ve partnered with SaferWood by Chemco, Inc. the industry leader in fire-retardant treated wood (FRTW) since 1981. Together, our Thermory Benchmark (Scots) Pine is now approved for use in a new category of exterior building materials: Ignition Resistant, Class A thermally modified, FRTW-fire retardant treatment wood. Chemco, Inc. is the only FRTW company to manufacture its own fire retardant, Thermex-FR, on-site, doing so continuously since 2000.
Thermory’s new Ignition Resistant Class A Benchmark (Scots) Pine treated by SaferWood with Thermex-FR will be in stock and available for immediate delivery by late February/early March (2026). This development represents a major step for the thermally modified wood industry and for architects, builders, and homeowners with new and/or remodel projects in California’s Very High FHSZ-Fire Hazard Severity Zones and WUI designated areas across the United States.
Why SaferWood? Proven Protection, Unmatched Performance
SaferWood Thermex-FR by Chemco has passed the most rigorous ASTM testing criterion for weathering, extended surface burning, and smoke development requirements in North America. These respected, trusted, and distinguished credentials are not marketing claims — they’re the result of over four decades of commitment to the highest quality standards, 3rd party independent evaluations, and certifications by ICC and QAI for code compliance
A Few Reasons SaferWood Stands Alone:
- One-time, permanent, all-surface protection per IBC 2303. 2
- Approved for use in all California WUI/FHSZ-Fire Hazard Severity Zones.
- Approved for use in all WUI designated areas across the United States.
- Thermex-FR is non-leachable, non-toxic, and non-hazardous, as proven by independent 3rd party and Department of Ecology test results.
- First FRTW evaluated by the International Code Council (ICC) as IWUIC compliant per ICC ESR-1159; subsequently validated by QAI CERus-1031.
- Only company to pass California’s 10-year Natural Outdoor Weathering Test; SaferWood with Thermex-FR is the only code compliant FRTW (Western Red Cedar) allowed in California for Class A Roofing.
- Only Appearance-grade Guarantee: mar-free, no sticker mark finish.
- Only FRTW to offer a limited lifetime warranty.
The Thermory Advantage: Benchmark Knotty (Scots) Pine, Now Class A
Our initial batch of Benchmark Pine profiles treated by SaferWood includes:
Key Performance Notes (from Eric Britson, Thermory Product Engineer):
- After Thermory Benchmark (Scots) Pine was pressure-treated with Thermex-FR, it passed the rigorous ASTM E2768 (“30-minute E84”) surface burning test following ASTM D2898 Accelerated Weathering (“800-inch rain” test). The material achieved exceptionally low Flame Spread Index (FSI) and Smoke Development Index (SDI) values, meeting the highest Class A code compliance as both an Ignition-Resistant and Fire-Retardant-Treated Wood (FRTW) building material.
- SaferWood is one of the only code compliant pressure treatments currently able to meet the strictest ignition-resistant [FRTW] requirements in California’s FHSZ-Fire Hazard Severity Zones (including ‘Very High’ found in Los Angeles County.)
- All Benchmark Pine profiles qualify because FRTW code compliance is species-specific, not profile-specific—meaning any Benchmark Pine profile can be treated by SaferWood to meet Ignition Resistant / FRTW Class A standards for FHSZ and WUI areas.
What This Means for Builders and Specifiers
Wildfire-prone areas such as California, the Mountain West, and parts of the Pacific Northwest are updating their building codes to meet the newest and strictest fire resistance standards. In Very High FHSZ and WUI areas most susceptible to wildfires, many jurisdictions now require ignition-resistant building materials— often restricting untreated siding and decking altogether.
- With SaferWood-treated Benchmark (Scots) Pine, designers can now confidently select and specify Ignition-resistant FRTW material compliant with national and/or state requirements: IBC/IRC, IWUIC, CWUIC, CBC/CRC, Chapter 7A, for any/all FHSZ and WUI designated areas.
Availability, Pricing, and Options
Customers will continue to have two purchasing options:
1. Standard Thermory Benchmark Pine (untreated)
—Always available in our regular stocked profiles.
2. Thermory Benchmark Pine with SaferWood Treatment
- Adds approximately $1.00/LF plus outbound freight from Houston, TX
- Initially stocked in the profiles listed above
- All Benchmark Pine profiles can be special-ordered with SaferWood treatment
This keeps flexibility high while expanding compliance options in wildfire-prone markets.
Looking Ahead
We expect Thermory’s SaferWood Benchmark Pine with Thermex-FR to be available late February to early March. More details, including official specifications, certifications, and spec sheets, will be published as soon as they are received.
This collaboration represents an important advancement not just for Thermory, but for the entire thermally modified wood category. It brings together the beauty of modified pine with SaferWood, the gold-standard in one-time permanent, pressure treated, fire-retardant protection for exterior design and build using real, natural, wood. This opens new possibilities for home hardening and wildfire resilient construction, creating safe, effective, environmentally-friendly, sustainable communities in wildfire-prone regions.
Ready to order? Reach out for samples. And stay tuned. More species are coming soon!
Photo Credits: Tõnu Tunnel. Building Roots HGTV. Weldon Brewster.
