Sorption properties of historic and recent pine wood

•Sorption properties of historic and recent pine wood were studied.•Moisture content was monitored in real timber structures.•Wood ageing has less influence on sorption properties.•Chemical treatment significantly influenced sorption properties.•High wood moisture content increases the risk of biodeterioration.

Restorers of historic timber structures often face the necessity of using recent timber to replace structural elements destroyed by fungi and insects. As a rule new wood is of the same species, approximately the same wood density and annual increment.The paper presents data on differences in the sorption/desorption processes in recent and historic Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) wood. Data loggers Materialfox (Germany) were installed in the 18th–19th cc. monuments of the Kizhi museum (Republic of Karelia, Russia). Wood moisture was measured with a 4 h interval for 150 days.The data obtained proved the working hypothesis about differences in the sorption properties of historic and recent timber.High wood moisture content of historic timber treated with borax chemicals increases the risk of fungi development in the joints with new insertions. It also increases the risk of infestation by borers.Using recent timber for insertions in the historic timber structures should be limited. Special requirements to the recent wood to be used for restoration are to be set up. They should be protected from environmental impact, especially if the structure had previously been treated with chemicals.