Materials based on particle board

The materials based on particle boards include the classical chip boards and OSBs. Originally developed in North America as a low-cost by-product from the veneer and plywood industries, OSB or “Oriented Strand Board” is mainly used, in place of plywood, as a planking material in timber and wood construction. For manufacturing this material, thin trunks, twigs or wood cuttings can be used that are unsuitable for plywood production.

For manufacturing OSB, 75 mm particles about 5 to 50 mm and 0.6 mm thick are “oriented” in the same direction to achieve high bending strength levels in the finished boards. Because the particles overlap, the surface is rough and must be sanded for applications requiring a high-quality appearance.

In contrast to OSB or plywood, particle or chip boards are mainly used in the furniture industry but also in the building industry as composite boards or floor boards for floor surfaces. Depending on the required application field, there are single-layer or three-layer board structures available. The three-layer variety consists of a rough middle layer of coarser particles that forms the “heart” of the boards, while the outer layers of fine particles guarantee a smooth surface.