James writes,
Questions about water displacement in wood cells while drying, or oil
soaking snipped...
and... Plant cell walls re a lot thicker and more structural, and may have
water,
but a plant biologist could answer that better than I.

OK, I'm a plant biologist. Plant cells walls contain a lot of water. Think
paper towels, cellulose sponges and wet blue jeans. Even kiln dried lumber
is 6-8% water, and all of that is in the walls.
Paul