Performance Analysis of Pine, Beech, Oak, and Olive for Ventilated Façades Panels: Moisture Content, Capillarity Action, and Fire Resistance

In recent years, the recycling and reuse of wood have become increasingly important for reducing construction waste, lowering costs, and promoting a circular economy in the built environment. This study explores the potential of recycled wood composites by prototyping panels made of granulated wood combined with epoxy resin and coated with intumescent fire-retardant paint. The panels were tested for water absorption, equilibrium moisture content, capillarity, and fire resistance under controlled conditions. Measure-ments were carried out over intervals of 12, 24, 36, 72, and 120 hours to assess differences among four species: pine, beech, oak, and olive. Results highlight that wood anatomy and structure play a decisive role in both moisture transport and fire behavior. Olive and oak demonstrated the most stable performance, with reduced dimensional changes and high-er resistance to ignition, while beech showed balanced properties, and pine exhibited greater fluctuations unless treated. These findings suggest that olive and oak are the most suitable candidates for ventilated façade applications, with beech serving as a viable compromise and pine as an economical choice under protective measures. The study con-tributes to a broader understanding of recycled timber performance and its practical im-plications for sustainable architectural design.