Effective Wood Veneer Densification by Optimizing Key Parameters: Temperature, Equilibrium Moisture Content, and Pressure

Due to increasing environmental concerns and the scarcity of high-quality hardwood resources, enhancing wood properties—such as strength, surface smoothness, and impact resistance—has become essential, especially for veneer-based products. Wood densification is a promising method for such improvements, typically involving mechanical, thermo-mechanical, or hygrothermal-mechanical processes. However, most prior studies examined only one densification parameter at a time. This study systematically investigates the combined effects of equilibrium moisture content (EMC), pressing temperature, and pressure on birch veneer densification. Birch veneers were densified radially using four temperatures (90–210 °C), three pressures (1.8–5.4 MPa), and three EMC levels (5%–20%) for a fixed pressing time of 8 min, resulting in 36 unique combinations. Results showed that higher pressing pressure and higher initial EMC consistently led to greater veneer densification. Optimal outcomes were achieved under two distinct conditions: (1) 90 °C with high EMC and high pressure, and (2) 210 °C with the same high EMC and high pressure. Intermediate temperatures (130–170 °C) were less effective. Temperatures above 200 °C were found critical due to lignin softening beyond its glass transition temperature. These findings highlight the interactive role of key parameters and provide practical guidance for upgrading low-quality veneers into high-performance engineered wood products in a sustainable and resource-efficient manner.