Pinus radiata specimens at a moisture content of 10 to 12 percent were heat treated at temperatures of 160°C, 180°C, and 210°C in commercial-grade raw linseed oil. The end-matched treated and untreated wood was exposed to an accelerated UV weathering environment for 2,100 hours using UV radiation and intermittent water spray. Changes in color and dimensional stability properties of the oil heat-treated wood were examined after (1) heat treatment and (2) accelerated UV weathering. The results show that the oil heat-treated wood turned darker and was more dimensionally stable. After oil heat treatment, the color of both the surfaces was uniform. Although color was darker on the surface than at the core, this contrast decreased with increasing treatment temperature. After the accelerated weathering test, the oil heat-treated wood retained its dimensional stability and color better than the untreated wood. No surface checks were observed in weathered treated wood, and volumetric swelling was also less compared with the untreated wood. Similarly, no color fading was observed in wood treated at 160°C and 180°C, while slight fading was noted for specimens treated at 210°C.
Contributor Notes
The authors are, respectively, PhD Student, Dept. of Chemical and Process Engineering (mkd26@student.canterbury.ac.nz), Professor and Director, Wood Technology Research Centre, Dept. of Chemical and Process Engineering (shusheng.pang@canterbury.ac.nz), and Professor, School of Forestry (john.walker@canterbury.ac.nz), Private Bag 4800, Univ. of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand. This paper was received for publication in December 2009. Article no. 10714.