Natural durability of wood of two species apt for contruction industries

Abstract

Natural durability of wood of two species apt for contruction industries. The aim of this work was to determine the natural resistance of Pawlonia tomentosa and Melia azedarach, woods against Picnoporus sanguineus, Laetiporus sulphureus and Ganoderma applanatum decay fungi, under two conditions: natural non treated wood and after suffering cycles of washing. The specific aims were, a) to established e if the natural resistance of the wood is altered, by the fungi studied after the removal of the soluble water substances b) to classify the wood resistance according to Findlay's Criteria by the loss of weight due to fungi decay. Five probes 3 x 1 x 0.5 cm were used for each treatment. The treatment were factorial of 2x2x3 being 2 kinds of woods, 2 different treatment and 3 species of fungi. The probes were kept at 28 ºC in darkness during a 3 month period. The probe were weighted at the beginning and end of the experiment. The difference of weight was expressed as percentage of the initial value. The wood of Pawlonia was moderately durable independently of the treatments, to the action of the Picnoporus fungus, and non durable to Laetiporus and Ganoderma fungi. Melia wood was not durable and perishable, under the action of the three fungi species