This paper presents the results of equilibrium moisture content testing carried out during air-seasoning of beechwood boards. The aim of the research was to determine the moisture content which can be achieved by air-seasoning of beechwood boards of different thickness in the area of northwestern Croatia (particularly the Varaždin region), and to determine the difference beetween the results of this research and mean values of equilibrium moisture content for this area obtained in former investigations. By monitoring equilibrium water content of the tested beechwood boards, at the end of 132-day air seasoning, the average value of equilibrium moisture content of 11,63 % was determined. It should be emphasised that, as expected, depending on the thickness of the tested samples, a higher equilibrium moisture content was recorded with beechwood thickness of 38 mm and 32 mm than of 27 mm. The final moisture content achieved by air- seasoning of beechwood averaged 11,04 % for the thickness of 27 mm, 11,39 % for 32 mm and 12,45 % for 38 mm. No considerable differences have been recorded between final moisture content data from the technological aspect. In this investigation lower equilibrium moisture contents have been achieved than the ones recorded in the investigations peformed to date (Krpan, 1965; Dimitrov, 1992; Pervan, 1994). The change of moisture content during the investigation, taking into consideration all tested beechwood boards, can be presented by equation Y =37,009 • X -0,2302 with R2=0,9784 (Y - moisture content; X - time of drying expressed in days). Based on the results, it has been concluded that the stockyard where the process took place had favourable climate conditions for air seasoning of hardwoods.
