Degradation and Protection of Wooden Cultural Relics: A Mini Review

Wooden cultural relics, as significant components of historical and cultural heritage, are persistently threatened by deterioration due to biological, environmental, and chemical factors. Addressing these issues is crucial not only for the conservation of cultural heritage but also for ensuring its sustainable transmission to future generations. This review systematically examines international research on the degradation and preservation of wooden cultural relics, outlining the temporal evolution, key contributing nations and research groups, major thematic focuses, and their interrelationships. We comprehensively summarize the mechanisms underlying wood degradation—including microbial attack, chemical degradation, and stress-induced deformation—and evaluate advanced techniques for detecting and assessing deterioration. Furthermore, we analyze the critical environmental and material variables that influence degradation rates. Building on this foundation, the paper surveys current mainstream conservation methodologies, such as physical and chemical reinforcement, desiccation, and drying treatments. Special emphasis is placed on emerging strategies that leverage novel materials and technologies, for instance, biomimetic hydrophobic coatings to prevent liquid water penetration and nanomaterial-based approaches for multifunctional surface treatment. Finally, we discuss persistent challenges and prospective research directions in the field, aiming to inform future scientific studies and advance practical conservation efforts for wooden cultural heritage.