In the frame of the European research project PerformWOOD in close liaison with the CEN task group TG EN 350 of CEN TC 38 WG 21 in total six research institutes teamed up and initiated an inter-lab trial (Round Robin) to investigate the suitability of different test methods to determine the wetting ability of wood. The moisture performance of wood and wood-based products has been recognized as key element in wood durability and wood protection. Actually it should be considered as major component of the material-intrinsic resistance of wood, but never found its way into a standardized test method. In this paper, the key results are presented from floating and submersion tests to determine the residual moisture after equal cycles of absorption and desorption, the water uptake and release after different 24h condition cycles as well as the capillary uptake in tensiometer tests and according to the Cobb method. Finally, the eight tested wood-based materials were ranked according to the various test set ups and compared with results from continuous MC recordings from different field tests. The potential of the different methods to predict the outdoor moisture performance of wood is discussed and recommendations for a future standard test protocol are given.

Download document (841 kb)
free for the members of IRG. Available if purchased.

Purchase this document