Ontbarken

Ontbarken refers to the process of removing bark from trees or logs. This is often done for various industrial and practical purposes. In the pulp and paper industry, debarking is a crucial preliminary step before wood chips are processed into pulp. Removing the bark improves the quality of the pulp and reduces the amount of chemical waste generated during the pulping process. Bark can also contain impurities that hinder the pulping process.

Beyond paper production, debarking is also performed for timber used in construction or furniture making. The presence of bark on lumber can lead to issues such as insect infestation, moisture retention, and reduced adhesion for finishes. In some cases, debarking may be done for aesthetic reasons, especially when wood is used in its natural or rustic form for decorative purposes.

Different methods exist for debarking, ranging from manual tools like debarking spuds and axes for smaller operations or specific tasks, to large-scale industrial machines such as ring debarkers, rosserhead debarkers, and drum debarkers for commercial forestry and wood processing plants. The choice of method depends on the size of the operation, the type of wood, and the desired outcome. Environmental considerations also play a role, with efforts to minimize waste and energy consumption in debarking processes.