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The technology of high temperature drying has a great influence on dimensional and selected physical changes in tension wood. Article is focused on the measurement properties such as moisture content, color changes and longitudinal warping. The quality of beech wood is determined based on structure and properties of wood, frequency of defects in wood material. The tension wood is considered as an important wood defect causing negative alterations in solid wood quality and limits industrial application of wood. The different values of longitudinal warping which were measured after drying were higher in tension wood than in normal wood. Impact of radial and tangential angle of growth rings is non-significant factor.

Beech wood has a high frequency of defects such as red heartwood, reaction wood (tension wood). For the experimental measurements four logs without visible defects like red heartwood, which can noticeably affects the measurements' results were qualified. The drying medium temperature in the first phase of the process before the moisture content of the specimens fell below the FSP was maintained at 45 °C. Then, the temperature was gradually increased to the maximum value 65 °C. The results showed that different initial wood moisture content does not affect to final value of tension and normal wood. The colorimetric parameter L* was much higher for tension wood. After steaming, there were greater differences in the colorimetric parameters, respectively, a* and b*. After drying the difference of all colorimetric parameters between tension and normal wood was significantly less. The color changes were only noticed in the surface layers of specimens. Differences were small, and thus, the impact of the ...

The aim of the article is to present the results of moisture content of wood during and after the high temperature steam and air-steam mixture drying processes and after an open air drying process. The knowledge of moisture content changes of wood in the process of its drying is one of important parameter to economy drying process and to keep the quality of dried wood. Wood samples, namely spruce (Picea abies K.) and beech (Fagus silvatica L.) from the northern part of Poland, were subject of steam, air-steam mixture and air drying respectively with a temperatures about 105, 80 and 25°C. The samples of thickness 70 mm and length about 1050 of spruce and about 1500 mm of beech were used. They were machined by the modern narrow-kerf frame sawing machine. Temperature of the cross-section of dried wood was measured by thermocouples, wood moisture content was determined during process using moisture sensors. Measurements of moisture content for steam dried and air dried samples, as reference, allowed t...

This study examined the changes in the properties of beech wood (Fagus sylvatica L.) after intense drying. Beech wood with false red heartwood was selected as the test specimen. The test samples had dimensions of 50 mm thickness, 180 mm width, and 350 mm length. The specimens were divided into two groups, false red heartwood and sapwood. These specimens were selected with different angles of the growth rings (radial and tangential). The results showed that samples with red heartwood, in comparison to samples with sapwood content, had a remarkable effect in covering. Observation of specimens with false red heartwood and sapwood before and after drying process revealed significant differences in color changes and measured values during the covering-slicing test, but not between samples with different growth ring angles.

The impact of the full-cell impregnation of pine wood was investigated with respect to changes in electrical resistance and the accuracy of moisture content measurement. This study compared the resistance of impregnated and untreated pine timber harvested from the northern part of Poland (Pomeranian region). The wood was impregnated by the vacuum-pressure method. The preservative (TANALITH E 3475) and coloring (TANATONE 3950) agents were based on copper salts. The results showed a dependence of wood resistance as a function of the moisture content. Impregnated and not treated wood samples were used. This result reflects the greater conductivity of the impregnate solution (based on copper salt) than the water. This phenomenon became more distinctive as moisture content value was above the Fiber Saturation Point (FSP).