EFFECT OF HEAT TREATMENT ON CAPILLARY WATER ABSORPTION OF HEAT-TREATED PINE, SPRUCE AND BIRCH

Longitudinal absorption of water in matched heat-treated and untreated boards was studied. The boards are from three different species. Scots pine (Pious sylvestris), Norway spruce (Picea abies) and birch (Betula pubescens). The heat treatment was performed according to the Thermowood process at two different temperature levels (170 degrees C and 200 degrees C) for all three species. Computer tomography (CT) scanning was used to intermittently monitor the ascent of the water front. The use of CT scanning enables a study of the liquid water ascent in three dimensions over time. This means that it is possible to determine the influence of different treatment temperatures and species as well as the difference between heartwood and sapwood on capillary action. The results show that longitudinal water absorption in pine sapwood was substantially lamer when heat-treated at 170 degrees C compared to untreated pine sapwood. In pine heartwood, the ascent of water was low in heat-treated as well as in untreated boards. Spruce boards showed low water absorption in sap- and heartwood in heat-treated as well as in untreated boards. Birch showed a decreasing uptake of water with increasing treatment temperature.