Impregnated and covered birch plywood performance during external exposure. Issue 1 (1st January 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Andersons, Bruno; Andersone, Ingeborga; Zudrags, Kaspars; Sansonetti, Errj
• Is Part Of: Wood material science & engineering. Volume 13:Issue 1(2018)
• Page Start: 21
• Page End: 27
• Publication Date: 2018-01-01
• Subjects: Birch plywood -- external exposure -- coating -- impregnation -- lamination -- disfiguring fungi; Wood -- Periodicals; Wood products -- Periodicals; Building, Wooden -- Periodicals; 624.184
• DOI: 10.1080/17480272.2016.1231715
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1748-0272

Abstract

ABSTRACT: We evaluated the performance of covered and impregnated birch plywood (BP) in the outdoor environment. Fungal growth, crack formation, and surface hydrophobicity were regularly assessed over 36 months. After 2 months, uncovered BP was severely colonised by disfiguring fungi. During the test period, the surface of plywood with better coatings (solvent- or water-based) was not overgrown or was overgrown slightly with fungi, no cracks were formed, and the surface hydrophobicity was stable. Similar results were observed for laminates with phenol and melamine film. Plywood impregnated with copper and organic biocides, with retention conforming to Use Class 3 (EN 335:2013), did not protect the plywood from crack formation within several months and the severe growth of disfiguring fungi within a year. The blue stain fungus Aureobasidium pullulans was identified for all overgrown test variants. No rot fungi were detected after a 36-month exposure.