Contribution to the identification process of wood used in historic buildings: Application in the “Casarão da Rua Sete de Setembro” in Cuiabá, MT

Abstract

The preservation of buildings that make up Brazil's historical heritage, has historical and cultural importance. Wood, one of the most common building materials, is subject to deterioration. Thus, the correct identification of wood, through macroscopic and microscopic analysis, contributes to the conservation of the pieces, but also for an adequate replacement, if necessary. Therefore, this study aimed to identify and describe the anatomy of the wood used in the "Casarão da Rua Sete de Setembro", a historic building located in the Historical Center of Cuiabá, MT. For this purpose, we collected three wood samples from the building's window frames. We evaluated the following characteristics: degree of deterioration, organoleptic characteristics, basic density, and macro and microscopic anatomical analyses. The samples considered for evaluation were in an advanced degree of deterioration. Despite that, it was possible to identify and describe the anatomical characteristics of the evaluated wood, all identified as Handroanthus sp., Bignoniaceae family, known locally as ipê. Furthermore, the study contributes to the formation of a database of wood species used during the Brazilian colonial period in Cuiabá, MT.

Keywords: Handroanthus. Deterioration. Wood anatomy. Iphan. Historic buildings.