Modern Mill launches pre-finished ACRE, a sustainable wood alternative

 Wednesday, November 5, 2025

Modern Mill’s innovative product, ACRE, has already carved out a significant niche by meeting this demand. Made from upcycled rice hulls in a zero-waste facility, ACRE is a 100% tree-free composite that cuts, sands, and finishes like wood, yet resists water, weather, and pests, guaranteed not to rot or splinter.

The material’s unique characteristic—as the first and only stainable composite on the market—has allowed builders and homeowners to achieve the classic look of prized hardwoods without the complexity or ecological cost of tropical timber. Now, Modern Mill is streamlining the finishing process, addressing a major pain point for tradespeople by introducing pre-finished ACRE featuring its proprietary Signature Stain Collection.

Factory finish: Solving on-site challenges

The new pre-finished line moves the demanding process of staining from the unpredictable job site to a controlled factory environment. This shift offers immediate, practical advantages for contractors and installers:

1. Time Savings: Arriving ready-to-install, the pre-finished product eliminates the multi-day labor required for sanding, applying, and curing stains on-site, drastically accelerating project timelines.
2. Weather Independence: Crucially, factory finishing extends the building season. Builders no longer have to worry about rain, humidity, or cold temperatures delaying stain application or compromising the finish quality—a persistent challenge with traditional field finishing.
3. Superior Consistency: The factory process guarantees a flawless, uniform application. Unlike field work where inconsistencies can arise from different applicators or changing conditions, the factory finish ensures every board is perfectly stained.

The seven colors in the Signature Stain Collection—including rich hues like Walnut and Mahogany, and popular neutrals like Montauk Gray and ACRE Black—were specially formulated in partnership with coatings expert PPG. The finishes incorporate advanced Infrared (IR) reflective technology. This is critical for composites, as it helps mitigate heat buildup on the surface, reducing the risk of thermal expansion, warping, or movement that can occur with darker colors exposed to intense sunlight.

A complete, coordinated system

To ensure a seamless, professional installation, Modern Mill is also launching color-matched Cortex® Plug Kits. These innovative plug systems are designed to conceal fasteners, maintaining the material’s clean, wood-like aesthetic across trim, siding, and decking applications. By coordinating the plugs directly with the seven Signature Stain colors, the manufacturer is providing a comprehensive, start-to-finish solution.

As Chris Guimond, CEO of Modern Mill, notes, the popularity of ACRE has always hinged on its customizable beauty. “We often hear from customers that one reason they love ACRE is the ability to stain it to match prized wood species,” Guimond said. “With Modern Mill’s new pre-finished ACRE options, customers can continue to enjoy the beauty of wood with even greater convenience.”

For the woodworking and construction industry, pre-finished ACRE represents a significant leap forward, blending the aesthetic of stainable, natural wood grain with the superior performance and installation efficiency of an advanced, sustainable composite. It offers a practical answer to the enduring challenge of achieving high-quality, durable finishes while meeting tight deadlines and promoting environmentally responsible building practices.

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Tags: ACRE Composite, Cortex Plug, Pre-Finished Wood Alternative, Woodworking Finish