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Why does wood shrink?

Updated: 5/23/2024
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Wiki User

12y ago

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Wood shrinks due to loss of water within the wood cells as it dries out, making the cells thinner, and therefore reducing the total volume of the cells.

When furniture is made properly, the wood is pre-dried to about 7 percent moisture content (freshly cut live wood is 25 percent moisture content or more) before made into furniture.

Throughout the moist summer seasons and the dry winter seasons, wood can expand and contract from absorbing and releasing moisture from the air. Applying finish to the wood helps to reduce the amount the wood absorbs and releases, and constructing furniture so that it can expand and contract throughout the seasons helps furniture last longer.

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12y ago
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2mo ago

Wood shrinks as it loses moisture content due to evaporation or drying out. This causes the cells in the wood to contract, resulting in a decrease in size. Changes in humidity levels can also affect the amount of moisture in the wood, leading to further shrinkage.

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What causes wood to expand and contract?

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What makes a knocking noise inside wood furniture?

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What happens to the wood when it is heated?

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Does wood shrink when it dries?

Wood shrinks due to loss of water within the wood cells as it dries out, making the cells thinner, and therefore reducing the total volume of the cells. When furniture is made properly, the wood is pre-dried to about 7 percent moisture content (freshly cut live wood is 25 percent moisture content or more) before made into furniture. Throughout the moist summer seasons and the dry winter seasons, wood can expand and contract from absorbing and releasing moisture from the air. Applying finish to the wood helps to reduce the amount the wood absorbs and releases, and constructing furniture so that it can expand and contract throughout the seasons helps furniture last longer.