Abstract— In this study, an experiment was executed related to the strength of wooden materials which have been commonly used both in the past and present against pressure and whether fire retardant materials used against fire have any effects or not. Totally 81 samples which included 3 different wood species, 3 different sizes, 2 different fire retardants and 2 unprocessed samples were prepared. Compressive pressure tests were applied to the prepared samples, their variance analyses were executed in accordance with the obtained results and it was aimed to determine the most convenient wooden materials and fire-retardant coating material. It was also determined that the species of wood and the species of coating caused the decrease and/or increase in the resistance against pressure. Keywords—Resistance of wood against pressure, species of wood, variance analysis, wood coating, wood fire safety. I. INTRODUCTION HE wood has been used as a building construction material for many years from the past up to present due to its strength and its multifunctional ease of use [1]. Wooden material is a natural material which has been used in the construction sector; it is currently being used and will be used in the future. In addition, wood may be considered as a renewable and boundless resource since it may be replaced with a new one [2]. Although the accelerations seen in the technological developments of the construction sector in recent years; the naturalness and warmth of wood, its lightness, its environment-friendly aspects, earthquake proofing, construction flexibility, compatibility with materials such as steel, concrete and adobe, its aesthetical and acoustic characteristics have all been effective in choosing it [3]. The historical buildings which are the beautiful examples of wood applications and numerous other fields which wood is applied can be seen both in our country and most of the countries in the world. Numerous buildings which wooden materials were applied were completely burned down or suffered extensive damage due to the lacking of necessary precautions in those places against fire. Most recently, the historical wooden Hüseyin Avni Paşa mansion in Üsküdar, M. Altin, is with the Higher School of Vocational and Technical Sciences, Selcuk University, Konya 42003 Turkiye (e-mail: maltin@selcuk.edu.tr). G. F. Pehlivan, S. D. B. Erkis, S. Tasdemir (corresponding author to provide phone: +903322232379; fax: +903322410185; e-mail: stasdemir@selcuk.edu.tr). are with the Higher School of Vocational and Technical Sciences, Selcuk University, Konya 42003 Turkiye (e-mail: geraybat@selcuk.edu.tr,didemboztepe@hotmail.com, dt.sevda@windowslive.com). İstanbul was burned to ground with a fire which began in the roof on June 28, 2014 [4]. Numerous examples of it may be given from different countries of the world. In order to protect the wooden materials against fire, fire retardant polishers [6], boron-based impregnated materials and fire retardant paints etc. are used. An experimental study was carried out in order to determine whether those coating materials which delay the fire to some extent decrease the strength of wooden materials used in the construction. Three different sizes used in the building construction for various purposes, 3 different wood types which are easily accessible in our country and commonly used 2 different coating materials and raw materials as arbitration specimen which weren’t coated were employed in the experimental study. The objective of this study is to determine a change exists in the pressure strengths of wood through applying polishers and impregnated materials among the fire-retardant materials which are frequently available in the markets. At the end of testing procedures it was aimed to reveal the differences between the pressure strengths of unprocessed samples and the samples which were applied polishers and impregnation. II. MATERIALS AND METHODS For the experimental studies, primarily, the types of fire retardant materials which are most frequently available in the markets were analyzed. For wood, an imported fire retardants which are in conformity with UNI EN ISO 14001: 2004 (ISO 14001: 2004) [5] standards and boron impregnated material in conformity with (ISO 14001, 2004) standards were preferred. Three types of wood were chosen to use in the experimental studies. One of them is Scotch Pine (Pinus silvestris L.) with the density of 620-780 kg/m³ frequently preferred in the buildings, the other is fir tree (Abies sp.) which has the density of 430-520 kg/m³ and poplar tree (Populus sp.) with the density of 310-400 kg/m³ were preferred. Those wooden materials were chosen among the materials which are knot- free smooth trunk and free of molds, mushrooms and insects. The chosen wooden samples were prepared in three different sizes such as 100x100x300 mm, 140x140x300 mm and 160x160x300 mm which are most frequently preferred. The wooden samples were kept in the air conditioning room with 30 ± 3% relative humidity and 27 ± 2°C temperatures until its rate of humidity reaches to 7% (1year). All the samples coming from the Wood Cutting Workshop were coded and recorded. Mustafa Altin, Sakir Tasdemir, Gamze Fahriye Pehlivan, Sadiye Didem Boztepe Erkis, Sevda Altin The Experimental and Statistical Analysis of the Wood Strength against Pressure According to Different Wood Types, Sizes, and Coatings T World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology International Journal of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering Vol:9, No:1, 2015 214 International Scholarly and Scientific Research & Innovation 9(1) 2015 ISNI:0000000091950263 Open Science Index, Materials and Metallurgical Engineering Vol:9, No:1, 2015 publications.waset.org/10000749/pdf