Samuel Chiltern answered
What is Particle Board?
Particle board is a low-cost material, typically used in flooring and furniture. It emerged in the 1940s, and is a great example of recycling, since it primarily uses wood-chips and sawdust left over from other manufacturing processes.
Particle board is fairly light-weight, strong and sturdy. However, it is ugly, easily damaged by water, and is difficult to paint. This makes it a poor choice for use in situations where appearance is important.
The Manufacturing Process for Particle Board
The waste wood is generally sourced from other manufacturers who have no use for it. This material must be dried before it is used, and care is taken to remove any foreign objects or pieces that are too large or small.
As the selected pieces move their way along a conveyor belt, they are sprayed with a strong resin. The wood is then blended to form a paste and pressed by a machine that forms the material into a board.
The final stage of the process involves curing the boards using super-heated air, which hardens the resin and the board.
Often the board is then sold, in this raw condition, for use in building construction, where the finish is of no importance.
If the product is to be used where it can be seen, however, then a veneer - made out of a thin layer of real wood or durable plastic - might be used to cover up the undesirable finish.
Particle board is a low-cost material, typically used in flooring and furniture. It emerged in the 1940s, and is a great example of recycling, since it primarily uses wood-chips and sawdust left over from other manufacturing processes.
Particle board is fairly light-weight, strong and sturdy. However, it is ugly, easily damaged by water, and is difficult to paint. This makes it a poor choice for use in situations where appearance is important.
The Manufacturing Process for Particle Board
The waste wood is generally sourced from other manufacturers who have no use for it. This material must be dried before it is used, and care is taken to remove any foreign objects or pieces that are too large or small.
As the selected pieces move their way along a conveyor belt, they are sprayed with a strong resin. The wood is then blended to form a paste and pressed by a machine that forms the material into a board.
The final stage of the process involves curing the boards using super-heated air, which hardens the resin and the board.
Often the board is then sold, in this raw condition, for use in building construction, where the finish is of no importance.
If the product is to be used where it can be seen, however, then a veneer - made out of a thin layer of real wood or durable plastic - might be used to cover up the undesirable finish.
