Technical feasibility of structual flakeboard made from mixed hardwoods and cypress from northern florida

Homogeneous and 3-layer flakeboard panels were fabricated from mixed hardwood species and baldcypress grown in northern Florida. All panels yielded adequate bending strength and stiffness and dimensional stability. For the homogeneous panels, the study indicates that only one panel condition, i.e., 5.5 percent resin content (RC) and 45 pcf, yielded internal bond (IB) values greater than 75 psi and thickness swelling (TS) equal or less than 25 percent. When comparing homogenous panels to 3-layer panels at similar RC and panel target density, all mechanical and physical properties were slightly more favorable in the homogenous panels. However, linear expansion and TS were slightly more favorable for the homogenous panels at 5.5 percent RC and 45 pcf than 3-layer panels produced at identical RC and panel target density. For the 3-layer panels, the large increase in IB and decrease in TS in response to the slight change in RC should provide the margin to produce acceptable flakeboards in plant conditions.