<![CDATA[Two regrowth wood species, i.e. tusam (Pinus merkusii Jungh. et de Vr.) and mangium (Acacia mangium Wild.) were used in this study. Specimens measuring 25 mm x 25 mm x 50 mm and 5 mm x 25 mm x 25 mm were prepared for testing against dry-wood termite (Cryptotermes) and subteranean termite (Coptotermes) respectively. All specimens were air-dried to approxi mately 16-18% moisture content. One group of the specimens was further oven - dried to reach moisture content of 6-8%. Furfurylation was carried out by soaking wood specimens for 24 hours in a 98% fuifuryl alcohol solution containing 0.35% (v/v) of ZnCl2 as catalyst. Furfurylated specimens were then cured at l000C for 48 hours. Control and treated specimens were exposed to dry-wood and subteranean termites for 12 and 4 weeks respectively.Treated specimens revealed a weight gains of 10 to 40 % depending on size of specimens and wood species. Speciesmens usd for testing drywood termites gained less weight than those of subteranean termites. Tusam specimens markedly showed a higher weight gain than mangium. Furfurylation using method 1 resulted in comparable weight gain to that of method 2. Control specimens of tusam an mangium are both encountered susceptible to dry-wood and subteranean termite attacts. Tusam had less initial durability against Coptotermes than mangium, but the wood species had a similar durability against Cryptotermess. The modified wood with furfuryl alcohol abviously possessed an improved durability upon the two termites. Tusam specimens gained more durability improvement than mangium.]]>
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