Wood-based sheet materials

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Sheet materials are manufactured from solid timber and/or from recycled timber with the addition of an adhesive. The most commonly used sheet materials are plywood, oriented strand board (OSB) particleboard (chipboard) and fibreboard (MDF - medium density fibreboard).

These materials are widely used in construction, with different grades for different uses, and using the right product for the job is essential.

This Choose and Use sheet describes some of the more commonly used types of wood-based sheet materials and tabularises the conditions of use, applications and related standards of each product.

Contents:

  • Making the right choice
  • Types of wood-based sheet materials
  • Oriented strand board
  • Particleboard
  • Plywood
  • Plywood used in formwork
  • Structural plywood
  • Marine plywood (Certified to BS 1088)
  • Medium density fibreboard
  • Hardboard
  • Blackboard and laminboard
  • Storing
  • Fixings

Suggested Reading

Wood - decorative and practicalnavigation-arrow

An overview of the considerations you should take into account when selecting and specifying a timber species for use in the UK. It includes colour photographs of a core selection of 50 timbers which are generally available or are commonly used in the UK, along with information on their suitability...

08/12/2014 |  Wood Information Sheet  

Engineered wood productsnavigation-arrow

With engineered timber becoming an increasingly prevalent component in construction, it is important for members of the construction industry to understand not only the benefits and properties of Engineered wood products, but also the different types.

With modified wood products being improved upon on a seemingly daily basis, this...

01/01/2012 |  Choose and Use  

Introduction to wood-based panel productsnavigation-arrow

Wood-based panel products are sheet materials that contain a significant amount of wood in the form of strips, veneers, chips, strands or fibres. The categories described in this Wood Information Sheet (WIS) are:

  • Plywoods
  • Particleboards
  • Oriented Strand Board (OSB)
  • Fibre building boards

 

Within each of the above...

04/04/2016 |  Wood Information Sheet