Wood-based composite materials: panel products, glued laminated timber, structural composite lumber, and wood–nonwood composites

TLDR: An overview of the general types and composition of wood-based composite products and the materials and processes used to manufacture them can be found in this paper, where the authors present several of the most common commercial products.

Abstract: This chapter gives an overview of the general types and composition of wood-based composite products and the materials and processes used to manufacture them. It describes conventional wood-based composite panels and structural composite materials intended for general construction, interior use, or both. This chapter also describes wood–nonwood composites. Mechanical properties of these types of composites are presented and discussed in Chapter 12. Because wood-based composites come in a variety of forms, we briefly describe several of the most common commercial products. This chapter is organized into three sections. The first section covers conventional wood-based composite panels. Materials, adhesives, and additives common to conventional wood-based composites are summarized. Specific products addressed include panel products such as plywood, oriented strandboard, particleboard, and fiberboard. Specialty composites are also discussed. The second section covers structural composite lumber, including glued-laminated timber, laminated veneer lumber, parallel strand lumber, laminated strand lumber, and oriented strand lumber. Wood–nonwood composites are discussed in the third section, including inorganic-bonded composites and wood–thermoplastic composites. Books have been written about each of these categories, and the constraints of this chapter necessitate that the discussion be general and brief. References are provided for more detailed information.