A newly felled tree contains water and sap (i.e., plant juice) both about 50% of its oven dry weight. For using this timber for any engineering purpose, all the moisture and sap are removed out of it so that it is not liable to decay by the fermentation of the sap or warp or bend owing to uneven expansion or contraction of the moisture with rise or fall of temperature. Thus “Seasoning is the process of drying out the timber to a moisture content approximately equal to average humidity of situation where it is to be used”.

Advantages of Seasoning of Timber.

The basic objective of seasoning is to reduce the moisture content of timber in order to prevent it from possible fermentation and decay. The following are the objectives and advantages of seasoning of timber:

(i) To decrease the volume and weight of timber and thereby to lower the cost of transport and handling.

(ii) To improve strength, hardness and stiffness of timber.

(iii) To improve the resisting power of timber so that it is less liable to attack by insects and fungus.

(iv) To improve the working qualities of timber so that it easily works under saw or plane during conversion.

(v) To maintain the size and shape of the timber articles even after leaving the hands of carpenters and joiners.

(vi) To make timber fit for receiving treatment of paints, preservatives, varnishes, etc.

(vii) To reduce the tendency of timber to crack, warp, bend or shrink.

(viii) To allow timber to burn readily, if used as fuel.

Find More About,

Timber
Structure of a Timber Tree
Properties or Characteristics of Timber
Defects of Timber
Diseases of Timber - Dry and Wet Rot
Decay of Timber
Seasoning of Timber
Methods of Seasoning of Timber
Preservation of Timber