The Effects of Slicing Parameters on Surface Quality of European Beech Wood

The main objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of flat slicing processes on wood surface characteristics of the European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.). The relation between wettability, roughness and machining methods were studied. Two different wood thickness (3.4 and 4.0 mm) and three levels of compression during slicing (67.5 %, 57.5 % and 47.5 % of desired veneer thickness) were used to prepare surfaces prior to testing. The smaller variation of the thickness of thinner veneers was observed. No significant impact of compression on variation of the thickness was found. The contact angle was lower when roughness measured parallel to the grain was higher. The influence of selected compression on roughness of European beech veneers measured perpendicular to the grain was confirmed. This indicated that the influence of the set of machining processes, such as pressure bar setting during slicing, is significant for wooden veneers surface properties.