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Trees, and their derivative products, have been used by societies around the world for thousands of years. Contemporary construction approaches suggest a growing interest in the potential for building with wood at a scale not previously attainable. As wood is the only significant building material that is grown, we have a natural inclination that building in wood is good for the environment but the environmental benefits of using timber are not always straightforward, e.g. a large amount of energy is often used in the drying process. Modern construction frequently challenges its use but engineered timbers, like ‘glulam’ beams and ‘cross-laminated timber’ (CLT), address many aspects of these challenges. However, joining timber at scale often presents a limiting factor – we explore enabling the treatment of industrial timbers to modify the material properties locally at joints to remove this limiting factor. In this presentation, we will present research that provides a better understanding of how liquids, like water in the drying process and chemicals treatment in the modification process, are transported within timber. Our aim is to contribute to the more sustainable use of this natural construction material.