In recent years, the importance of non-biocidal solutions for wood protection is increasing. One of non-biocidal techniques is the treatment of wood with water wax emulsions. Those solutions disable moisturizing of wood and thus prevent it against fungal infestation. To elucidate this presumption, specimens for determination of sorption properties (20 mm x 20 mm x 10 mm) and specimens for determination of velocity of moisturizing (50 mm x 25 mm x 15 mm) were prepared from Norway spruce (Picea abies) wood, and impregnated with different polyethylene and oxidized polyethylene wax emulsions of various concentrations. To improve performance of impregnated wood, boric acid was added to the selected solutions. Sorption curve was determined through conditioning of the specimens in chambers with different relative air humidity (20 %, 33 %, 65 %, 88 % in 98 %). Velocity of moisturizing was determined through conditioning of the impregnated specimens in water and in achamber with high relative humidity (RH = 80 %). The results of the conditioning at RH of 80 % showed that the lowest moisture content was determined at control - unimpregnated specimens. Similar observation was observed at specimens soaked in water in the first period of immersion. However, after longer period of soaking, influence of wax treatment became more evident.
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