The influence of melamine impregnation and heat treatment on the fire performance of Scots pine (Pinus sylvetris) wood

Wood, as a natural and renewable resource, is a popular material for construction, but its fire performance restricts its utilization. In addition, for example, the mechanical properties of wood have up till now been impaired by the most common fire retardants, and therefore, the investigation of wood modification with not‐weakening flame retardants is essential. This study investigates the effects of melamine impregnation and heat treatment on the fire performance of Scots pine (Pinus sylvetris L.). The treated samples were tested with a cone calorimeter, and the following features were studied: time to ignition, heat release, smoke production, and mass loss. The heat‐treated samples became more homogenous as regards the results of fire performance. Some of the examined fire behavior values decreased because of heat treatment, while the same values increased after the combination of melamine impregnation and heat treatment. The smoke production was reduced the most for the samples that were both impregnated and heat treated. Although the influence of treatment on the fire behavior properties of solid wood was relatively marginal, it was assumed that these treatments will not have a negative impact on the fire‐resistance properties of pine wood. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.