Effect of compression wood on dimensional stability of medium density fiberboard

Abstract

This study evaluated the effect of compression wood on dimensional stability of medium density fiberboards (MDF) manufactured from fiber furnishes of pine (Pinus nigra Arnold var. pallasiana) containing compression wood. Two panel types were manufactured from two different compression wood (CW) portion / normal wood (NW) portions in the furnish, 75/25 and 10/90, respectively. Linear and thickness variations of the panels exposed to various relative humidites at 20 °C, linear expansion/contraction and thickness swelling/shrinkage, were measured according to the procedures defined by DIN EN 318 (2005) standard test method. Panels made from fiber furnish containing 75% the CW had higher linear expansion and linear contraction values with an average value of 0.286% and 0.247% than those of panels made from fiber furnish containing 10% the CW with an average value of 0.184% and 0.152%, respectively. As for thickness swelling and thickness shrinkage properties, panels made from fiber furnish containing 75% the CW had the thickness swelling and thickness shrinkage values with an average of 5.042% and 4.402% while panels made from fiber furnish containing 10% the CW had the values with 3.621% and 2.861%, respectively. Consequently, based on the findings obtained from this study, expansion and swelling properties of the MDF panels were negatively affected by compression wood increase.