Abstract

The study investigated the effect of hybrid wood finishing and preservation on the appearance and durability of lecture theatre furniture in Benue State Tertiary Institutions. Three specific objectives with corresponding research questions guided the study and three hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significant. The employed a mixed-methods approach, combining laboratory tests and user surveys to evaluate the performance of hybrid treatments compared to conventional methods. The population of the study comprises 50,000 students and 60 facilities managers. The sample size of 240 pieces of lecture theatre furniture, 240 students and 60 facility managers was composed using proportionate stratified random sampling. The instruments used for data collection were Wood Finishing & Preservation Treatments Assessment Instrument (WFPTAI) and Users’ perception assessment on effect of Wood Finishing & Preservation Treatments Instrument (UPAEWPTI). The instruments were validated by experts and reliability was established using overall Chronbach Alpha coefficient for UPAEWPTI was 0.829 and that of WFPTAI was 0.918 were obtained. The direct delivery and retrieval method was employed in the administration of the instrument by the researcher and three research assistants. Data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics of Means and Standard Deviation to answer the research questions while analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used in testing the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significant. Findings of the study revealed that, hybrid treatments significantly improved the appearance, surface retention, and durability of lecture theatre furniture. Statistical analyses revealed significant differences in user satisfaction levels between hybrid-treated and conventionally treated furniture. The study concludes that hybrid wood finishing and preservation treatments offer a superior solution for enhancing the appearance and durability of lecture theatre furniture in tropical environments. Recommendations are made for the adoption of hybrid treatments and further research on optimizing application methods and exploring long-term performance