In this study, varying ambient climates were simulated in a test building by changing temperature and relative humidity. Beech glued laminated timber (glulam, Fagus sylvatica, L.) was freshly installed in the test building and monitoring of the change in wood moisture content of the glulam resulting from the variations in climate was carried out. Subsequently, finger-jointed beech specimens were exposed to the variations in relative humidity measured in the course of the monitoring experiment on a laboratory scale, and thus an alternating climate regime was derived from the conditions in the test building. Its influence on the delamination of the finger-joints was evaluated. In addition, it was examined whether beech finger-joints using commercial adhesive systems fulfil the normative requirements for delamination resistance according to EN 301 (2018) and whether different bonding-wood moisture levels have an effect on the delamination of the finger-joints. In the context of the monitoring experiment, there was a clear moisture gradient in the beech glulam between the inner and near-surface wood. The applied adhesive systems showed almost the same delamination resistance after variation of relative humidity. The normative requirements were met by all PRF-bonded and by most PUR-bonded beech finger-joints with higher bonding wood moisture content.

In this study, the surface parameters wettability, roughness, and adhesive penetration, which are important for wood bonding, were investigated and evaluated utilizing non-destructive methods after different mechanical processing. For this purpose, beech and birch finger joints were prepared with different cutting combinations (three cutters with different sharpness levels and two feed rates) in an industrial process. Effects and interactions on the surface parameters resulting from the different cutting combinations were evaluated using three Full Factorial Designs. The various cutting parameters had a predominantly significant influence on the surface parameters. The effects and identified interactions highlight the complexity of the cutting surface and the importance of wood bonding. In this respect, a new finding is that with sharper cutters, higher contact angles of the adhesives occur. The methods (contact angle measurement, laser scanning microscopy, and brightfield microscopy) used were well suited to make effects visible and quantifiable, which can be of interest for the quality control of the wood processing industry. The results can help to better understand and evaluate the design of wood surfaces via machining and the bonding of hardwoods. Possibly the results can contribute to further standardizing the production of load-bearing hardwood finger joints and making them more efficient.

In this study, a specimen geometry for testing finger joints was developed using finite element simulation and proofed by experimental testing. Six different wood species and three adhesives were used for finger-jointing specimens. With the test specimen geometry, the bonding strength of the finger joints was determined without the usual self-locking of the joint. Under load, the test specimen geometry introduces maximum stress at the beginning of the bond line (adhesive zone). However, the test specimen geometry does not generate a symmetric stress state. The main difficulty here is the flank angle of the finger joint geometry. The wood species and adhesives significantly influenced the performance of the finger joints.

In this study, the tensile and bending strength of birch and beech lamellas finger jointed with conventional (Standard) and newly developed finger-joint profiles (New) are presented. Polyurethane (PUR), Melamine-Urea-Formaldehyde (MUF) and Phenol-Resorcinol-Formaldehyde (PRF) adhesive systems were used to bond the finger joints. The objective of the New profiles was to reduce the stress concentrations within the finger joint by cutting the cross-grooved fingers perpendicular to the main orientation of the finger-joint profile. In the first trials of the development, larger cross-grooved fingers were cut with the aim to improve the stress distribution and to reinforce the finger joint by filling gaps in the finger joint with adhesive. As the study progressed, initial optimisations of the New profile were made. Smaller cross-grooved fingers were cut as it was assumed that they are beneficial for the manufacturing and integrity of the New profile. In combination with the MUF adhesive system, the New profile achieved the highest increase in the bending and tensile strengths compared to the Standard profile. In addition to the increased strength, other advantages such as reduced cracking in the finger joint were observed when using the New profile. The high strength and stiffness of hardwoods or other high-performance materials used in timber construction can probably be better exploited in combination with the New profile. Further tests will be carried out by considering different configurations of the New profile and different materials.

In Germany, Pinus sylvestris is a dominant tree species, and many trees with large diameters are not utilised due to difficulties with processing. However, older pines have larger volumes of sapwood, and boards with a high sapwood content can be produced. The durability of boards from large-diameter (>50 cm) P. sylvestris trees, treated with furfurylation, acetylation, DMDHEU (1.3-dimethylol-4.5-dihydroxyethyleneurea), and SorCA (Sorbitol/Citric Acid), was assessed. The samples were taken from different sections along the longitudinal axis and the cross-section. The durability was tested against Coniophora puteana, Rhodonia placenta, and Trametes versicolor, according to the EN 113-2 standard. All treatments had a median mass loss < 5%, so classed as “highly durable” (Durability Class 1) against all fungi. DMDHEU had a large deviation in mass loss against Coniophora puteana and could potentially be classified as “moderately durable” (Durability Class 3), if based on the mean mass loss. The inner part of the end section had a higher mass loss, indicating that there was poorer retention of the treatment at this location. Overall, chemical modifications on large-diameter pine trees were effective at increasing durability. Utilising large-diameter pine trees can help to make use of regional resources and potentially reduce reliance on imported timber. With favourable mechanical properties and easy-to-treat sapwood, large-diameter P. sylvestris trees could be used for commercial treatments.