Multi-step preheating processes for manufacturing wood based composites

1. A method for the production of a wood composite board comprising the steps of:

providing a quantity of wood in the form of strands;

coating the wood strands with a binder composition to form coated strands;

forming a mat from the coated strands;

exposing said mat to steam wherein the exposing to steam is effective to raise the temperature of the mat but not completely cure the mat;

ventilating the steam subsequently to cessation of steam exposure in a manner effective to remove at least a portion of any condensed water and entrapped air in the mat and is completed before a following pressing step; and

pressing the mat, at a high temperature, to form the wood composite board having a final thickness.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the high temperature is from about 175° C. to about 260° C.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the mat is formed from alternating layers, with the coated strands in adjacent layers being oriented substantially perpendicular to each other.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the mat is formed from layers, wherein in each layer the strands are aligned in substantially the same direction.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the ventilating step occurs immediately after the steam exposing step.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the final thickness of the wood composite board after pressing is from about 0.25 inch to about 5.5 inches, preferably about 1.5 inch to about 3.5 inch, more preferably about 1.75 inch to 2.5 inch.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises a step, after the forming step, of prepressing the mat to a height of 110% to 300% of the final thickness of the wood composite board.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises a step, after the forming step, of prepressing the mat to a density of about 5 pcf to about 25 pcf.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the steam exposing step causes a temperature increase in the mat, the amount of the temperature increase being from about 30° C. to about 110° C.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the wood composite board has a density of about 35 lbs/ft 3 to about 50 lbs/ft 3 .

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the binder composition concentration is from about 3 wt % to about 8 wt %.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the binder composition comprises about 0.1 wt % to about 3 wt % of wood composite additives.