ABSTRACT
The natural decay resistance of wood material recovered from construction and demolish wastes (CDW) was evaluated in comparison with air-seasoned virgin wood. The recovered wood was obtained from five bulky unprocessed round-wood beams which had been used as main supporting components in several old churches and other house buildings. The wood species was identified as Pinus sylvestris. An examination of growth ring showed that these beams were made from round-wood which were between 120 and 170 years old. The service life of these wood beams varied from 80 and over 110 years. The test results obtained from the study revealed that in contrast to virgin wood, the difference in natural decay resistance between heartwood and sapwood of recovered wood was less distinct. The heartwood of recovered wood was less resistant than that of virgin wood, while the sapwood of recovered wood displayed a relatively less susceptibility to wood-rotting fungi than that of virgin wood.
