Pakistan Forest Institute
Peshawar, Pakistan

Wood Seasoning and Preservation

This branch conducts research for finding efficient and economic methods of wood seasoning and prolonging the life of wood and wood products through preservatives. It consists of a Wood Seasoning and Preservation Officer, one Assistant Wood Seasoning Officer and two Research/Technical Assistants. The officers also teach students of M.Sc. and B.Sc. Forestry the subjects of wood technology, seasoning and preservation, and arrange short courses in wood technology for in-service personnel of government departments, armed forces, industries, etc.

Current Research Programme:

  • Determination of physical and mechanical properties of local timbers.
  • Investigation of anatomical characteristics of local timber.
  • Development of solar lumber dryer.

Significant Achievements:

  • Use of poplar wood as cross arms on the electric transmission poles as cheaper substitute-of deodar wood which in addition to its high price has limited availability.
  • Utilization of Eucalyptus wood having no commercial importance other than fuel wood was made possible through research and several useful products like cross arms, furniture and as a fencing material.
  • Determination of air and kiln-seasoning techniques of different local wood species through extensive experiments which resulted in minimizing the loses due to seasoning defects.
  • To protect from the attack of biological agencies especially of insects and termites on wood. Appropriate technologies were developed for the treatment of timber with different chemicals by dipping, pressure treatment and sap displacement methods. Experiments were laid out under different ecological zones in Pakistan to test the natural resistance of local timber species against the attack of micro-organisms.
  • Trials are underway to develop techniques to use solar energy for drying wood and reducing the cost of drying.