TITLE:
Evaluation of the Durability of Petersianthus macrocarpus (Essia) and Its Preservative Impregnated and Surface Finished Wood
AUTHORS:
Delle Desire Domekyiir
KEYWORDS:
Petersianthus macrocarpus, Impregnated, Graveyard, Full-Cell, Treatment, Durability
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Composite Materials,
Vol.16 No.4,
September
11,
2026
ABSTRACT: In Ghana, there is high demand for the few naturally durable commercially utilized species (CUS), which are threatened with extinction. The promotion of the numerous lesser-utilized species (LUS) and lesser-known species (LKS) requires urgent and critical evaluation to augment the severely depleted CUS. Some timber species are naturally durable and can resist biodegradation due to their extractives and lignin. However, some LUS, such as Petersianthus macrocarpus (Essia), which are noted for their non-durability, could be impregnated with preservatives and/or surface finishes to enhance their durability. In this study, heartwood and sapwood of P. macrocarpus were used as the study wood, while Ceiba pentandra (Onyina) served as the control samples. The mean moisture content of samples (2 cm cubes) was heartwood (12.78%)