ACTION OF GASEOUS CHEMICALS ON STRUCTURAL TIMBER.

Though the resistance of wood against chemicals has been used and proved since long in many fields of industry and craft, wood defects may occur after long-time action of aggressive atmospheres on structural timber. Chemical, microscopical and mechanical investigations on spruce wood exposed to gaseous chemicals of various aggressiveness revealed different degradation effects. However, a general degradation pattern cannot be established as the conditions in the industry halls were very heterogeneous. On the whole the results support the usefulness of wood as a building material in aggressive atmospheres.