Abstract: A process for treating wood comprising applying to the surface of the wood a boron based preservative which reacts with moisture within the wood to form a boron compound and alcohol and subjecting the wood with the applied preservative to a substantially moisture-free and enclosed environment for a period sufficient for the applied preservative to be absorbed into the wood and to produce the boron compound on reaction with the moisture in the wood and for the alcohol by-product of the reaction to be adsorbed within the wood structure.

Abstract: A process for the treatment of wood including: placing the wood to be treated in a treatment vessel and applying a vacuum; exposing the wood to a treatment solution while substantially maintaining said vacuum; applying a predetermined pressure to the wood for a period of time sufficient to partially impregnate the wood with the treatment solution; reducing the pressure within the treatment vessel and concurrently emptying the treatment vessel of treatment solution; whereby immediately after said reduction of pressure within the treatment vessel, the partially impregnated wood includes an unimpregnated inner zone which has a residual vacuum elevating seepage of treatment solution from the partially impregnated wood.

Abstract: A method of microwave treatment of wood with a moisture content (based on dry weight) of at least 12% for rapid drying and stress relief which includes determining an area of the wood that is not to be treated, selectively subjecting a surface of the wood outside said determined area to microwave radiation at a frequency (f) in the range of from about 0.1 to about 24 GHz to provide a modified wood zone having increased permeability relative to the untreated wood, wherein said zone is located in an exterior shell of the wood and has wooden rays directed from the core of the wood to the irradiated surface.

Abstract: A process for treating wood comprising applying to the surface of the wood a boron based preservative which reacts with moisture within the wood to form a boron compound and alcohol and subjecting the wood with the applied preservative to a substantially moisture-free and enclosed environment for a period sufficient for the applied preservative to be absorbed into the wood and to produce the boron compound on reaction with the moisture in the wood and for the alcohol by-product of the reaction to be adsorbed within the wood structure.

Abstract: A method of microwave treatment of wood with a moisture content (based on dry weight) of at least 12% for rapid drying and stress relief which includes determining an area of the wood that is not to be treated, selectively subjecting a surface of the wood outside said determined area to microwave radiation at a frequency (f) in the range of from about 0.1 to about 24 GHz to provide a modified wood zone having increased permeability relative to the untreated wood, wherein said zone is located in an exterior shell of the wood and has wooden rays directed from the core of the wood to the irradiated surface.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of a modified wood product, the process comprising: modifying moist wood by subjecting the wood to microwave radiation having a microwave energy of from 100 to 4000 joules/cm3 and a frequency (f) of from 0.1 to 10 GHz for a period of from 0.1 to 100 seconds to form a plurality of cavities disposed in radial-longitudinal planes of the wood, at least some of the cavities being interconnected by channels in the radial, tangential and/or longitudinal directions of the wood, drying the modified wood; impregnating the modified wood with an adhesive component; and applying pressure to the impregnated wood to at least partially close the cavities and channels formed during the modification step and to adhere wood fibres with the adhesive component.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the treatment of wood, and is particularly concerned with a method for increasing the permeability of wood, especially moist wood.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the treatment of wood, and is particularly concerned with a method for increasing the permeability of wood, especially moist wood.

Abstract: A method for increasing the permeability of wood which comprises subjecting wood with a moisture content (based on dry weight) of at least 15% to microwave radiation at a frequency (f) in the range of from about 0.1 to about 24 GHz with a power intensity (p) from about 10 W/cm2 to about 100 kW/cm2 for a duration of from about 0.05 to about 600 seconds to cause water in the wood to vaporise resulting in an internal pressure in the wood such that the permeability of the wood is increased by partial or complete destruction of ray cell tissue, softening and displacement of wood resin, formation of pathways in the radial direction of the wood and/or by creating, on the base of destroyed rays, cavities in the wood, said cavities being primarily in radial-longitudinal planes of the wood, and wherein the overall integrity of the wood is substantially maintained. A wood-based material may be formed having a permeability which is at least 5 times that of the untreated wood.

Abstract: A wood treatment process is disclosed in which in one aspect the wood is impregnated with a waterborne preservative such as CCA at elevated temperature and pressure. The impregnated wood and excess waterborne preservative are separated while the treatment vessel (8) is pressurized, for example by blowing the preservative out of the vessel at the treatment pressure using a pump (10). Kickback may be segregated from the wood once pressure is reduced after the separation of wood and preservative. In another aspect the wood is impregnated with a waterborne preservative and with oil, each of the impregnating steps being performed under pressure and the oil being heated. If the preservative is one such as CCA which is capable of being fixed to the wood the hot oil may enhance this as well as providing water repellency. The oil may be a process oil.

Abstract: The invention comprises a process for the preservation of timber with a boron based compound, such as trimethyl borate. The timer is dried to a low moisture content, is then subjected to a vapor of the boron compound in a suitable treatment vessel, and after vapor treatment is steam conditioned to return the moisture content of the timber to a normal working level. The vapor treatment is preferably carried out under heat and reduced pressure. Timber preserved by the process is also claimed.