Effects of oleothermal treatment and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) coating on natural weathering of beech and fir woods

Abstract

Effects of natural weathering on oleothermally treated wood and coated with an organic silicone compound were studied. Slats of beech and fir woods were cut in sizes of 20×10×1 cm. The slats were treated by soybean oil at 230˚C for 1 h. Then, the half of the untreated and oleothermally treated slats were coated with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and the rest of them were considered as control. All slats were hanged in 45˚ angle at the southwest (SW) direction for 90 days. They were analyzed for color changes, roughness, and contact angle properties at 30-day intervals. Results showed that the oleothermal treatment of wood reduced discoloration of fir samples against natural weathering; however,
the reducing effect was lower in the Beech samples. This treatment also reduced the surface roughness of the fir samples during weathering while it increased the surface roughness of beech. Wettability of the samples in both species, before and after weathering, was reduced by the oleothermal treatment. Results also revealed that coating of the wood surface with PDMS does not prevent the discoloration and surface roughness against weathering. Nevertheless, the coating could considerably decrease the hydrophilicity of the woods even after weathering.