Effect of Heat Treatment on Equilibrium Moisture Content (EMC) of Some Wood Species in Turkey

Abstract

Heat treatment is often used for improve the dimensional stability of wood. In this study, effect of heat treatment on equilibrium moisture content (EMC) of oak (Quercus petraea Lieb.), chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.), calabrian pine (Pinus brutia Ten.) and black pine (Pinus nigra Arnold.) woods, obtained from Kastamonu Forest Enterprises of Turkey, was examined. Wood specimens were subjected to heat treatment under atmospheric pressure and presence of air at three different temperature (130, 180 and 230 C) and two different time (2 and 8 h). The EMC of heat treated wood and control o samples were tested. The results showed that values of EMC decreased with increasing temperature and time of heat treatment. According to this result, oak, chestnut, calabrian pine and black pine woods could be utilized by using proper heat treatment techniques in outdoors and indoors applications for several purposes such as musical instruments, kitchen furniture, garden furniture and windows frames.