Effects of Thermo-Mechanical Densification Applied to Veneers of Fast-Growing Species to Produce Value-Added Plywood Panels

Abstract

Plywood and other laminated panels are used as substitutes for solid wood in various applications. There is a special interest for the densified wood veneers to produce such composites. In this chapter selected properties of densified veneers made of two fast-growing species are presented along with a new lay-up veneer structure of plywood to produce value-added panels for indoor applications. Based on the findings of this study the densification process enhanced the veneer surface quality and gloss, giving also a pleasant darker colour to the veneers and the plywood made of them. The new plywood structure with alternate layers of densified and non-densified veneers was proved to be an efficient solution to obtain panels with improved properties.