Evaluation of Weathering of Furfurylated Wood Decks after a 3-year Outdoor Exposure in Greece

Furfurylation is a modification process carried out in order to improve the biological resistance and dimensional stability of wood. In this research work, a three-year outdoor weathering test of furfurylated wood was performed using the following wood materials: a deck of furfurylated radiata pine (Pinus radiata), a deck of furfurylated maple (Acer spp.), a deck of furfurylated southern yellow pine (Pinus spp.), and a control deck of Ipê wood (Handroanthus spp.) that was used for comparative reasons. The decks, without any protection or finishing, were exposed for 36 months in Karditsa, Greece in order to evaluate some physical and structural properties of wood such as colour, staining, distortion, surface cracking and end splitting. All tested decks exhibited colour changes that were perceptible by the naked eye and much higher during the first twelve months of weathering. The three furfurylated wood decks showed smaller total colour changes as compared to those of Ipê control deck. In respect to surface cracking, furfurylated radiata pine deck generally showed minor surface cracks, while furfurylated maple deck presented the lowest degree of surface and end splitting. In overall, the furfurylated wood decks tested performed very well and showed no signs of black staining (except for the southern yellow pine deck) and no fungal or mould decay after three years of outdoor exposure.