This Master's thesis deals with the wood properties after 7 years of outdoor weathering at the field test site of the Department of Wood Science and Technology. Spruce wood samples protected with two types of copper substances (CCB and CuE) in two different concentrations (wCu = 0.25 % and 0.125 %) were tested. The wood was exposed to the 3rd and 4th use class (UC). For comparison, control samples that were not exposed to the outside were also tested. The aim of the work was to test the wood samples after 7 years of exposure to weathering and to measure the copper concentration in the wood samples. Other objectives were to determine the mechanical properties of the wood samples and to classify the degree of decay by microscopic analysis. The results show that some of the copper substances were no longer present in the samples due to leaching. The strongest leaching was observed in wood impregnated with preservatives in low concentrations. These samples were also in contact with the soil. Wood samples that were subject to the 3rd UC were less affected by leaching. Cracks and splits were observed in the samples. High concentrations of copper substances reduce the likelihood of cracking and splitting to some extent. The mechanical properties of 3rd UC wood were better than those of 4th UC wood. Wood protected with CCB, subject to 4th UC, cracked and discolouration was observed at lower concentrations. On the other hand, severe decay was observed in the wood samples protected with CuE, as well as a change in colour and complete decay in some parts of the samples that were underground.
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