EVALUATION OF MOLD AND TERMITE RESISTANCE OF INCLUDED SAPWOOD IN EASTERN REDCEDAR

Abstract

The heartwood of eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana) frequently contains areas of light-colored wood. This "included sapwood" is considered to be a defect by some manufacturers. In this study, sapwood, included sapwood, and heartwood samples from five eastern redcedar trees were exposed to mold fungi or subterranean termites in a no-choice feeding test. Specific gravity, extractives content, and total volumetric shrinkage were also measured. The extractive content, specific gravity, and volumetric shrinkage values of sapwood and included sapwood were equivalent. Greater extractive content in heartwood blocks was associated with less volumetric shrinkage and greater specific gravity. Included sapwood showed the same resistance to mold growth as heartwood, which was more mold-resistant that the sapwood. Included sapwood, heartwood, and sapwood of redcedar all exhibited resistance to termite attack compared with pine wood controls.