Treatment of water damaged cellulosic materials

A process for treating water damaged cellulosic material comprising cooling the cellulosic material throughout its extent to between about 20.degree. F. and the freezing point of water at which temperature range the water within the cellulosic material remains unfrozen, exposing the cellulosic material to a flowing stream of gas having a relative humidity of between about 10 percent about about 95 percent and a flow rate of between about 40 and about 1000 cfm, the gas stream being at generally atmospheric pressure, the flowing, water vapor-unsaturated gas stream promoting vaporization of water from the cellulosic material, capillary action continuously distributing unfrozen water throughout the cellulosic material, and maintaining the stream of flowing gas and maintaining the temperature until a desired dryness of the cellulosic material is achieved.

A process for treating damaged cellulosic material comprising cooling the cellulosic material to below about -10.degree. F. and maintaining the cellulosic materials at this temperature for at least about 500 minutes to effect fumigation, maintaining the cellulosic material to below the freezing point of water, and exposing the cellulosic material to an atmosphere that is unsaturated in water vapor and is generally at ambient pressure, and maintaining sub-freezing temperatures and a water vapor-unsaturated, generally ambient pressure atmosphere in the region of said cellulosic material until a desired degree of dryness in the cellulosic material is achieved.