Author: haroonkhan

The specimen used for tensile strength test is of size 5 cm × 5 cm × 20 cm long. The testing is done in a wood testing machine. The load may be applied either parallel to the grains or perpendicular to the grains. The tested result is compared with the standard value.

Generally, wood for building construction is not tested in the laboratory. It is a practice to classify them by their species and by visually examining them for defects. However, the following tests are conducted for important works:

The method of preservative treatment to be used depends on the use of wood in construction. The general methods adopted are as follows: 1. Charring In this method, the ends of the timber are burnt to about 1.5 cm and then quenched in water. This charred end act as a protective coat. This is particularly…

There are three types of preservatives with different bases as prescribed in the Code (IS: 401–2001). 1. Oil Types In this type coal tar creosote with or without admixtures of soluble oils is used. 2. Organic Solvent Types These are toxic chemicals in non-aqueous solvents such as copper napthenate, zinc napthenate, benzene hexachloride, etc. 3. Water-base Types…

A good preservative should fulfil the following requirements:

To increase the life span of wood, they should be treated with chemicals–this process is known as the preservation of timber.

Once the woods get deteriorated they lose their engineering properties and the wood is said to be decayed. Several reasons contribute to the decay of wood, which are explained below:

There are two broad approaches to seasoning, viz., 1. Natural Seasoning There are two methods of natural seasoning, viz., air seasoning and water seasoning. (i) Air Seasoning It is also known as air drying. In this method timbers intended for seasoning are stacked in a dry place under cover about 30 cm above the floor…

Although the primary aim is to remove sap and moisture, the other objectives of seasoning are as follows:

Trees felled recently will contain large amounts of sap and moisture. Seasoning is the process of removing all the sap and moisture content under controlled conditions to avoid any splitting and distortion in the wood.