Effect of silicon/paraffin treatment on dimensional stability of red oak, douglas-fir, and ponderosa pine

Abstract

Red oak, Douglas-fir, and ponderosa pine lumber was treated with a silicon/paraffinic system to assess the ability of the treatment to limit dimensional changes and moisture uptake during changes in temperature or relative humidity. The treatment initially had little effect on either property, but the magnitude of weight gain and dimensional changes tended to decline with repeated moisture cycles. The results suggest that the silicon/paraffin treatment had the potential to limit vapor moisture sorption and could reduce the potential for wood to deform with repeated moisture cycles. © Forest Products Society 2014.