Manufactured Woods: Fiberboard, Particle Board, Veneer, and Plywood

Manufactured woods come in a lot of different shapes and sizes, and will be what we go over next. Manufactured woods can often achieve the same results as traditional types of woods. They come in all different shapes and sizes, and can be used for support pieces, or shaped in aesthetically pleasing ways. Since manufactured woods are created and not grown, they are very versatile and ideal for a lot of different purposes. It’s not like there is exactly a fiber wood tree.

Fiberboard: Cheap but Durable

One of the most common types of manufactured wood is fiberboard. Fiberboard is a byproduct of a lot of different types of hardwood and softwood byproducts, or fibers, being combined together, and bonded or glued using wax and resin into a board. The number of different pieces of wood used is what lends itself to the number of colors present in fiberboard material. It’s cheap but decently durable.It is mainly used in support for pieces of furniture, like back of cabinetry or behind a dresser for example.

Particle Board: Ideal for Work Surfaces

Particle board is created using chips and shavings of wood, and while similar to fiberboard, is made using smaller pieces, which gives it a different and unique look compared to fiber board. This is what work surfaces are generally made out of (think a craftsman table), and because it is one of the least expensive types of wood, is paired with cheaper furniture commonly.

Veneers: Best of Both Worlds

A veneer, like other types of manufactured wood, begins with real wood from a tree. But in this case, they use a piece cut off the “top”, by slicing a piece around the circumference of the tree, making a thin piece of wood that can be attached to other manufactured wood, so it will have the appearance of say, mahogany, but will have plywood or another less expensive wood underneath it to provide depth.

Even though a single tree will provide a good amount of surface layers, it’s sturdiness allows it to command a similar or even higher price point than comparable solid wood pieces. The surface layer is real wood, so it shares the same characteristics as a solid piece of that same wood. Maple veneers are still moisture resistant and good for the outdoors, cedar veneers are still insect repellents, and redwood veneers resist decay the same and also repel moisture.

Plywood: Great for Construction

Plywood is made from strong veneers stacked on top of each other, bonded with strong resin, and is the type of wood use in 2×4’s commonly. Because it is a veneer, the grains appear normal and the color is uniform, but can vary between types. It’s strong and unlikely to change shape over time, and because of that is commonly used in construction and flooring, especially on outside patios.

This concludes our exploration into the different types of manufactured wood available. While you won’t find wood of this sort in premium hand-crafted furniture like the kind we sell at Amish Oak in Texas, manufactured woods still have a purpose and function in a variety of projects and pieces.

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