WOOD COMPOSITES

BY: JOHN RALPH A. MAGBANUA

What is Wood Composites?
Wood composites include a range of different derivative wood products all of which are created
by binding the strands, fibres or boards of wood together. It is also known as manmade wood, engineered
wood, as well as wood-plastic composite (WPC). Most wood composites are produced in large sheets,
usually 1220mm (4’) x 2440mm (8’).

How is Wood Composites made?

Wood composite is usually made from the same hardwoods and softwoods used for lumber except using
the sawmill’s scraps and wood waste and created by mixing ground wood particles with heated
thermoplastic resin. Some combine and process the materials into pellets which are re-melted and formed
into the final shape while others create the final product by a one-step mixing and extrusion process.

Both virgin and recycled thermoplastics are used with polyethylene-based products the most common.
UV stabilizers, colourants, coupling agents and lubricants can also be added to create a product
specifically targeted to its application with both solid and hollow shapes formed.

Types of Wood Composites:

• Plywood • Gypsum board
• Hardboard • Fibercement board
• Chipboard • Particle board
• Fiberboard
PLYWOOD
Plywood is the most common wood composite. It gets
its name from its construction: it is made of several thin
plies, or veneers, of wood that have been glued together.
Each ply or veneer is glued so that its grain is at right
angles to the grain of the previous ply.
The outside plies are called the face and the back, and the
center plies are called the core. The cross-layering make
plywood very stable and strong.
Coatings or layers of protective material over the surface
are good only for interior purposes because they are not
durable when exposed to the weather.
These are water-soluble, fire retardant chemicals generally are trade-marked formulation of ammonium
phosphate, borax or sodium silicate combined with other materials to provide adherence to the wood,
brush-ability, appearance and color.

There are also chemicals with low water soluble such as zinc borate, chlorinated paraffin and chlorinated
rubber which are used for fire retardant coatings.
Standard Sizes of Plywood:
Plywood is commonly available in: Standard thicknesses are:
3’ x 6’ (900mm x 1800mm) and 3/16” (4.5mm) for double wall partitions and ceilings
4’ x 8’ (1220mm x 2440mm) ¼” (6.0mm) for double wall partitions
3/8” (10.0mm) for drawers and shelves
½” (12.0mm) for drawers and shelves
¾” (19.0mm) for drawers, shelves, cabinet and closet doors
1” (25.0mm) for cabinet and closet doors, and sub-floors
Advantages of Plywood:
• the approximate equalization of strength properties along its length and width;
• greater resistance to checking and splitting; and
• less change in dimension due to moisture content
Types of Plywood:
• Ordinary Plywood
• Form Plywood
• Marine Plywood – waterproofed
• Fancy Plywood:
 Narra bookmatched  Dao bookmatched
 Kalantas Rotary cut  Rosewood
 Tanguile Ribbon-grained  Tanguile
 Lauan Rotary cut
HARDBOARD
This is a paneling material made by reducing and
refining wood chips into small, threadlike fibers, and
then pressing them under heat in hydraulic pressure into
dense, smooth, and very rigid panels.
In the production process the pulp is exploded under
pressure. Heat and steam is applies to leave a fine, fluffy
brown fibers. These fibers are transformed into mats,
which are held together with lignum and other glues. The
mats are than pressed between steam-heated metal plates
to give grainless sheets with one smooth, glossy surface
and one textured surface. To prevent warping, moisture is
added in a humidification chamber.

Hardboards are a cheaper option than plywood where strength is not required.

Hardboard has a smooth surface on one side and a screened surface on the other. It is sometimes known
as Masonite, after the man who invented it.
There are three types of hard board:
a. Standard hardboard
is light brown in color and has a fairly hard, smooth surface on one side and a screened impression on
the other. It is flexible and easy to bend. It is suitable for interior use only and where it is not subject to
moisture.
b. Panel hardboard
is somewhat denser than the Standard but not as dense as Tempered.

c. Tempered hard board

is the densest type, made by impregnating standard board with tempering compound of oils and
resins and baking it polymerize the tempering materials. It is dark brown in color, brittle and stiff,
with improved machining qualities and greater resistance to moisture and water penetration, making it
ideal for exterior use

Hardboard is usually in panel size of 4’x8’ (1220mm x 2440mm) with thicknesses of 3mm 1/8” (), 3/16” (4.5mm) or
¼” (6mm), and is obtainable either with a plain, textured, or perforated surface.

Brand names of Hardboard:

LAWANIT standard and tempered boards
LAWANEX panel boards
MASONITE standard, panel and tempered hard board
CHIPBOARD
Chipboard is made by bonding together
wood particles with an adhesive under heat
and pressure to form a rigid board with a
relatively smooth surface, often faced with
veneer. It is made by binding phenolic resin
or urea formaldehyde glue.

Chipboard is available in a number of densities; normal, medium and high-density.

- Normal density is fairly soft and 'flaky‘
- High-density is very solid and hard (often used for
worktops and fire doors)
- Medium density is somewhere in between
FIBERBOARDS
Fiberboards are finishing materials made from vegetable fibers such as corn or sugarcane stalks
pressed into sheets. It is not very strong, but has good insulating properties therefore it is usually used
for ceiling only.

It is generally 4’x8’ (1220mm x 2440mm) panel size, in

thicknesses of 3/16” (4.5mm) or ¼” (6mm), ½” (12mm)
and ¾ “ (19 mm).

Acoustic fiber board is manufactured from wood, straw,

bagasse pulp pressed into boards with or without holes
or slots. Thicknesses of acoustic fiber board vary from
½ “ to 2” (12 to 50mm) in ½” (12mm) increments.

Brand names of Fiberboard:

CELOTEX, CANEX, HOMASOTE, PHILTEX, BONOTEX
GYPSUM BOARDS
This is a non-combustible building board with a gypsum core enclosed in tough, smooth
paper. It is designed to be used without addition of plaster for walls, ceilings or partitions. It is
extensively used in “dry-wall” construction, where plaster is eliminated
Brand Names:
BORAL
ELEPHANT

Square Edge (S.E.) Tapered Edge (T.E.)

for coverstrip jointing; visible butt - for smooth seamless jointing; jointless
jointed panelling with clamp fixing wall and ceiling panelling
and free suspension.
The types of Gypsum Board are:
a. Wall Board
This type is used for surface layer on interior walls and ceilings. The regular wallboard comes
with grey liner paper backing and special paper finish on the facing and edges suitable for
decoration. The foil-backed gypsum board has aluminum foil bonded to the liner paper to serve
as vapor barrier and thermal insulation. Predecorated gypsum board comes with a decorative
vinyl or paper sheet on its face.
b. Backing Board
This is used as base layer in multi-ply construction, where several layers of gypsum boards are
desired for high fire resistance, sound control and strength in walls.
c. Core Board
To save space, this type is used as a base in a multi-ply construction of self-supporting (studless)
gypsum walls. It comes in 1” (25mm) thickness or 2- factory-laminated, ½ “ thick layers of
backing board .

d. Type X Gypsum Board

For use in fire-rated assemblies, this may be wallboard, backing board, or coreboard made more
fire-resistant by addition of glass-fiber or other reinforcing materials
The types of Gypsum Board are:
e. Water-Resistant Backing Gypsum Board
This type comes with water-resistant gypsum core and water-repellant face paper. It maybe used
as base for walls of bathrooms, showers, and other areas exposed to wetting.
f. Gypsum Sheathing
This type is used as fire protection and bracing of exterior frame walls. It must be protected from
the weather by an exterior facing.
g. Gypsum Formboard
This type is used as a permanent form in the casting of gypsum concrete roof decks.
FIBERCEMENT BOARDS
Fiber cement board is a durable and low-maintenance material that is commonly used to cover the
exterior of houses and, in some cases, commercial buildings. It's manufactured with cellulose fibers,
along with cement and sand, making it long-lasting and durable.
Fiber-reinforced cement board is comprised of 72% Portland Cement, 20% mineralized cellulose fibers
derived from recycled materials, and 8% calcium carbonate.
PARTICLE BOARD
Particleboard is made of small wood chips and base materials including cotton stalk, rice straw, bagasse,
conventional wood chips and sawdust that have been pressed and glued together.
PARTICLE BOARD APPLICATIONS:
Construction
• interior lining
• floors
• concrete moulds
Construction industry
• as web plates for beams
• Fixtures and fittings
• as a base material for parquet floors
• as a base material for covering strips
Furniture industry
• furniture frames
Other applications
• packaging
• exhibition and fair structures
• do-it-yourself