What effect does drying/seasoning wood have?

What effect does drying/seasoning wood have?

• A. It increases moisture content.
• B. It gives greater immunity to decay and rot, increases strength and stability, and makes wood less corrosive to metals.
• C. It reduces color uniformity.
• D. It makes wood more brittle.

Answer: (B)

Drying or seasoning wood is about lowering its moisture content so it sits closer to the conditions it will face in use. With less water in the cells, wood swells and shrinks less when humidity changes, so it stays more stable in size and shape. Fungi that cause decay need moisture, so drier wood resists rot better than wet wood. Lower moisture also makes the wood take on more of a stiff, strong character, since water in the cell walls softens the material; removing it increases strength and rigidity. Also, when wood is dry, there’s less water to carry electrolytes that can promote corrosion of metals in contact with it, so metal components tend to fare better. In short, seasoning improves stability, decay resistance, and compatibility with metal fasteners, rather than increasing moisture, worsening color uniformity, or making wood more brittle overall.

Drying or seasoning wood is about lowering its moisture content so it sits closer to the conditions it will face in use. With less water in the cells, wood swells and shrinks less when humidity changes, so it stays more stable in size and shape. Fungi that cause decay need moisture, so drier wood resists rot better than wet wood. Lower moisture also makes the wood take on more of a stiff, strong character, since water in the cell walls softens the material; removing it increases strength and rigidity. Also, when wood is dry, there’s less water to carry electrolytes that can promote corrosion of metals in contact with it, so metal components tend to fare better. In short, seasoning improves stability, decay resistance, and compatibility with metal fasteners, rather than increasing moisture, worsening color uniformity, or making wood more brittle overall.