Influence of Wood Knots of Chinese Weeping Cypress on Selected Physical Properties

Abstract

The effects of wood knots of Chinese weeping cypress (Cupressus funebris Endl.) wood on selected physical and color properties were investigated. Thirty samples of live knots, dead knots, and clear wood groups were selected for experiments to determine the physical properties of wood density, wood shrinkage, wood swelling, and wood color. The experimental analysis results showed that the wood density values are in the order: dead knots > live knots > clear wood, with a significant difference in wood density between different groups (p < 0.01). In addition, the values of the air-dry volumetric wood shrinkage, air-dry volumetric wood swelling, oven-dry volumetric wood shrinkage, and oven-dry volumetric wood swelling ratios are in the order: dead knots > live knots > clear wood, being consistent with a variation in wood density. Three groups of wood colors were provided: the color of clear wood is light, the color of live knots is reddish, and the color of live knots is blackish, in relative terms. The chromatic aberration between the three groups can be identified, and the wood color difference resulted from the discrepancy in the lightness index.