Methods in determining basic density of wood

Abstract

The basic density of wood is an essential physical property that influences several important characteristics, such as mechanical resistance, dimensional variation, biodeterioration, among others. For the basic density of the wood, different methods can be used, but these must be correlated to guarantee the reliability of the results. Thus, this research aimed to compare three methods of experimenting with the basic density of wood: the stereometric method, the hydrostatic balance method, and the maximum moisture content method in nine tree species. By comparing the results obtained among themselves and with data found in specialized literature, it was concluded that each of these methods can be validly employed, regardless of whether the species exhibit low, medium, or high basic density.