Colourfulness of European beech wood with a round false heartwood in the color space CIE L*a*b*

The paper analyzes the color of dry wood of false heartwood in the color space CIE L*a*b*. The color of dry European beech wood with false heartwood perceived by the human eye is in a wide range of shades from light to brown-yellow to red-brown. The color of the wood of the false heartwood in the color space CIE L*a*b* was measured with a Color reader CR-10 colorimeter (Konica Minolta, Japan). A D65 light source was used and the diameter of the optical sensing aperture was 8 mm. The results of the statistical processing of the measured values of the color of dry beech wood, false heartwood on the planed surface is identified through the values on the lightness coordinate L* = 65.9 4.8 and on the chromatic coordinates: red color a* = 12.7 2.1 and yellow b* = 20.3 1.9. The colourfulness of the darkness and yellow-brown-red shades of wood of the false heartwood is numerically quantified by the total color difference ΔEsx* = 5.5.The presented values of the color of false heartwood beech wood and the definition of color boundaries in the color space CIE L*a*b* create space for designers to model the color variety of compositions and construction and joinery products made of beech wood.