Studies on the material resistance and moisture dynamics of wood after artificial and natural weathering

Wood is one of the most important building materials. During service life wood and derived materials, various degradation factors affect performance. To assess how weathering influenced material resistance moisture dynamics wood, 11 different materials were exposed to natural for 9, 18 27 months or artificial accelerated weathering. Afterwards, performance was determined in line with Meyer-Veltrup procedure. Weathered samples also brown-rot fungus Gloeophyllum trabeum 16 weeks. Respective classified into durability classes according EN 350, relative dose (Drd rel) calculated. Weathering resulted leaching biologically active extractives, changed surface morphology increased permeability. All these changes reflected decreased all tested The largest deceases thermally modified Scots pine, European larch sweet chestnut heartwood.