Effects of Heat Treatment on the Physical Properties of Heartwood and Sapwood of Cedrus libani

Effects of heat treatment on the physical properties of heartwood and sapwood of Cedrus libani A. Richard, such as density, equilibrium moisture content, swelling, and fiber saturation point were investigated. Heartwood and sapwood samples were treated at 140, 160, 180, 200, and 220°C for 3 h. After heat treatment, the physical properties of the samples of wood were determined according to Turkish standards. The results showed that mass loss increased and physical properties decreased as the treatment temperature increased. As the treatment temperature was increased, the mass of the heartwood decreased more than that of the sapwood, which may be due to the fact that the heartwood had greater extractives content. Conversely, even though the mass of the heartwood decreased more than the mass of the sapwood at the treatment temperature of 220°C, its physical properties, such as equilibrium moisture content, swelling, and fiber saturation point, decreased less than those of the sapwood.