Effect of the beeswax and its combination with boric acid on the dimensional stability and fungal resistance of poplar wood

The main cause of the wood degradation in domestic and artistic applications is deformation due to the moisture changes and also the bio-damages. Wood protection in these sectors requires much attention due to their contact with humans, so toxic chemicals may not be used. The beeswax is a natural substance and has no toxicity for humans. The main purpose of this study was to use the different concentrations of the beeswax (0, 4, 6 and 10 wt%) dissolved in the hot ethanol, as well as its combination with boric acid (6 wt% beeswax + 2 wt% boric acid) to impregnate poplar wood for enhancing the dimensional stability and the fungal resistance. The result showed that the uptake of the beeswax, even in low weight gain, had significant effect on the water absorption and volumetric swelling of wood, especially in short periods of water contact. As the immersion time in water increased, the volumetric swelling of the treated samples increased and finally that was as much as controls. By increasing the concentration of the beeswax, its effect on the resistance of wood against fungal decay was revealed. In general, the efficacy of the beeswax on the fungal activity was limited. The best result was obtained with the combination of the beeswax and boric acid, which even after leaching and no decrease was observed on the protective efficacy against fungal decay. The use of this protective formula for industrial applications is not economical, but it can be used for domestic (kitchen utensils) and artistic (sculptures) uses.