Wood-Water Interactions
- 1st Edition - November 1, 2026
- Latest edition
- Authors: Samuel L. Zelinka, Samuel V. Glass, Maria Fredriksson, Markus Rüggeberg
- Language: English
Wood-Water Interactions examines the complex relationship between wood and water using an intuitive approach to what has historically been treated as an opaque and demanding field… Read more
Description
Description
Wood-Water Interactions examines the complex relationship between wood and water using an intuitive approach to what has historically been treated as an opaque and demanding field of study. Wood-moisture interactions dominate nearly every facet of wood technology and utilization, yet new findings continue to change our understanding of this topic. Authored by experts in the field, the chapters follow a logical structure and include case studies with vivid illustrations. Readers are motivated to understand updated information about the interaction of water with wood, the effect of changes in moisture content on the properties of wood and wood-based materials as well as the latest research methods used to study wood-water interactions.
Key features
Key features
- Provides fundamental information about the relationship between wood-water
- Offers updated coverage of how water changes the physical properties of wood, wood-based materials, and wood-composites.
- Examines methods to change wood-water interactions through wood modifications and methods to study wood-water interactions.
Readership
Readership
Undergraduates of Wood Science learning about the key concepts in wood-moisture interactions
Table of contents
Table of contents
Chapter 1: Why is water in wood so important?
Why should we devote an entire book about water in wood?
Why do we care about wood at all?
What will this book cover?
Chapter 2: Why is water so weird?
Introduction
Peculiar properties of water
Molecular origin of water’s properties
Water molecules in the vapor phase
Water as a solvent
Water molecules at surfaces
Water molecules in hydrophilic polymers
Conclusion
Chapter 3: Why is wood so weird?
Introduction
Wood as a biological material
Wood as a technical material: Benefits and challenges
Chapter 4: Where can water go in wood and how much water can wood hold?
How is water bound in wood?
How do we quantify amount of water in wood?
How much water can wood hold at different humidity levels?
What is the maximum amount of water that wood can hold?
Is there a relationship between moisture uptake in wood and the wood density?
Chapter 5: How does water affect the properties of wood?
How much water is there in wood?
How does water affect how much wood weighs?
How does water affect the size and shape of wood?
How does water affect the electrical conductivity of wood?
How does water affect the thermal properties of wood?
How does water affect the mechanical properties of clear wood?
How does water affect the mechanical properties of lumber?
How does water affect how wood burns?
How does water affect the absorption of radiation?
How does water affect the friction properties of wood?
How does water affect the cost and carbon accounting of wood products?
How does water affect adhesive bonding?
Chapter 6: How does water move in wood?
Why does water movement in wood matter?
Why is water movement in wood complex?
What drives water movement in wood?
How does water vapor diffuse in wood?
How does water diffuse in the wood cell wall?
How does capillary water move in wood?
How fast is water vapor sorption in wood?
Chapter 7: How can we change wood–water relations and why we might want to?
How long have we been modifying wood, anyway?
How can we describe how these processes affect wood–water relations?
Surface treatments
Bulk wood modifications
Chapter 8: How does water affect wood-based materials, engineered wood, and wood composites?
What do we mean when we talk about wood-based materials, engineered wood, and wood composites?
Why would we want to make a wood composite anyway?
How long have we been making wood composites?
How important are wood composites?
What are some of the major types of wood-based materials?
How do the sorption properties of wood-based materials compare to solid wood?
How does the dimensional stability of wood composites compare to solid wood?
How does the water vapor permeability of wood-based panel products compare to solid wood?
Chapter 9: How can we “see” water in wood?
Measuring mass
Measuring changes in dimensions
Measuring changes in electrical properties
Measuring temperature changes and heat flow
Measuring the concentration of probe molecules (solute exclusion technique)
Measuring interactions with electromagnetic radiation
Measuring interactions with radioactive particles
Measuring interactions with magnetic fields
Atomistic simulations including molecular dynamics
Why should we devote an entire book about water in wood?
Why do we care about wood at all?
What will this book cover?
Chapter 2: Why is water so weird?
Introduction
Peculiar properties of water
Molecular origin of water’s properties
Water molecules in the vapor phase
Water as a solvent
Water molecules at surfaces
Water molecules in hydrophilic polymers
Conclusion
Chapter 3: Why is wood so weird?
Introduction
Wood as a biological material
Wood as a technical material: Benefits and challenges
Chapter 4: Where can water go in wood and how much water can wood hold?
How is water bound in wood?
How do we quantify amount of water in wood?
How much water can wood hold at different humidity levels?
What is the maximum amount of water that wood can hold?
Is there a relationship between moisture uptake in wood and the wood density?
Chapter 5: How does water affect the properties of wood?
How much water is there in wood?
How does water affect how much wood weighs?
How does water affect the size and shape of wood?
How does water affect the electrical conductivity of wood?
How does water affect the thermal properties of wood?
How does water affect the mechanical properties of clear wood?
How does water affect the mechanical properties of lumber?
How does water affect how wood burns?
How does water affect the absorption of radiation?
How does water affect the friction properties of wood?
How does water affect the cost and carbon accounting of wood products?
How does water affect adhesive bonding?
Chapter 6: How does water move in wood?
Why does water movement in wood matter?
Why is water movement in wood complex?
What drives water movement in wood?
How does water vapor diffuse in wood?
How does water diffuse in the wood cell wall?
How does capillary water move in wood?
How fast is water vapor sorption in wood?
Chapter 7: How can we change wood–water relations and why we might want to?
How long have we been modifying wood, anyway?
How can we describe how these processes affect wood–water relations?
Surface treatments
Bulk wood modifications
Chapter 8: How does water affect wood-based materials, engineered wood, and wood composites?
What do we mean when we talk about wood-based materials, engineered wood, and wood composites?
Why would we want to make a wood composite anyway?
How long have we been making wood composites?
How important are wood composites?
What are some of the major types of wood-based materials?
How do the sorption properties of wood-based materials compare to solid wood?
How does the dimensional stability of wood composites compare to solid wood?
How does the water vapor permeability of wood-based panel products compare to solid wood?
Chapter 9: How can we “see” water in wood?
Measuring mass
Measuring changes in dimensions
Measuring changes in electrical properties
Measuring temperature changes and heat flow
Measuring the concentration of probe molecules (solute exclusion technique)
Measuring interactions with electromagnetic radiation
Measuring interactions with radioactive particles
Measuring interactions with magnetic fields
Atomistic simulations including molecular dynamics
Product details
Product details
- Edition: 1
- Latest edition
- Published: November 1, 2026
- Language: English
About the authors
About the authors
SZ
Samuel L. Zelinka
Dr Zelinka is a Materials Research Engineer at the US Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory. His research focuses on the fire safety of wood buildings and wood-moisture relations.
Affiliations and expertise
US Forest Service, Wisconsin, USASG
Samuel V. Glass
Dr. Glass is a Research Physical Scientist at the US Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory. His research focuses on the moisture performance and durability of wood buildings.
Affiliations and expertise
US Forest Service, Wisconsin, USAMF
Maria Fredriksson
Dr Fredriksson is an Associate Professor in Building Materials at Lund University, Sweden. Her research focuses on moisture and durability related properties of wood and other organic materials.
Affiliations and expertise
Lund University, SwedenMR
Markus Rüggeberg
Markus Rüggeberg is a Professor of Forest Utilization at Dresden University of Technology. His research focuses on the structure-property relationship of wood cell walls and on the utilization of the swelling and shrinking of wood for self-forming wood elements.
Affiliations and expertise
Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, Germany