and the use of one of our most valuable resources the evolution of Wood ... source of material for par- ticleboard, MDF
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The Evolution of Wood
and the use of one of our most valuable resources
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Sources The Timber Industry Magazine, Sidcup, U.K., August 25, 2011 University of Michigan, Global Deforestation, January 2010
1850s 1800s
Modern-day plywood is invented. Durable, flexible and relatively inexpensive, it becomes widely used in the construction industry.
1940s Softwood plywood can be made from faster growing trees like fir, spruce and pine. Slower growing hardwoods are used for more demanding end uses.
Old growth trees are cut to create rough planks for houses and furniture.
Hardwood veneers taken from oak, walnut, maple and even exotic trees are used to make plywood look like solid hardwood.
LUMBER PLYWOOD Much of the tree is wasted — burned or left to rot.
Still, there’s a lot of waste. The extra pieces are often burned.
By now, nearly
100% By 1920, 90% of virgin forests in the U.S. had been harvested — mostly to create cropland.
and the use of one of our most valuable resources
Particleboard and Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF) are invented, made from wood chips, sawmill shavings and even sawdust. Cheaper, more uniform and denser than conventional wood and plywood, composite woods are often covered in veneers that make them suitable for cabinetry, furniture and other substrate applications.
PARTICLEBOARD & MDF
1920 The Evolution of Wood
Today
The shortage of lumber drives up the price of plywood.
of the tree is used.
The timber industry invests billions in reforesting hard and softwood forests.
Increasingly, industry turns to plantation and sustainably grown and harvested woods to meet needs for wood products.
Decorative overlays make it possible to replicate the visual intricacies of wood surfaces. Printed on papers made from tree fibers grown on controlled, fast growing plantations, decorative overlays spare old growth and exotic woods.
Facts &Stats During its lifespan, wood used in construction consumes far less energy
and natural resources
— and has the lowest CO2 emissions — of any materials, including concrete
and steel.
Softwood trees such as pine, fir and spruce grow at a rate of 2.5 times hardwood trees and are the primary source of material for particleboard, MDF and plywood. Sustainably managed forests are carbon neutral, growing as much wood and carbon as they remove. Modern resin systems used in composite wood and overlay manufacturing maintain the performance characteristics that initially made them attractive for durability and affordability and emit no more (and often less) than natural sources, such as trees and even the human body.
