MANUFACTURED WOOD PRODUCT AND METHODS FOR PRODUCING THE SAME
A method for producing a manufactured wood product using less desirable or discarded natural wood and a manufactured wood product produced by the described method. This inventive method comprises utilizing less desirable or discarded natural wood pieces by slicing the wood pieces into elongated strips that are then partially separated into elongate sections with alternating step sections that maintain fibrous connectivity between the elongate sections. The elongate sections are impregnated with an adhesive and pressed in a mold.
1 . Method of making a manufactured wood product having an aesthetically pleasing wood grain appearance extending throughout the length of the wood product such that it is suitable for use in applications where the wood product is displayed comprising:
partially separating a elongated strip generally along a wood grain thereof into a plurality of elongate sections having alternating step sections, wherein each of said sections remains in fibrous connection with at least one other of said sections;
applying an adhesive to said elongated strip having elongate sections to form an adhesive strip; and
pressing a plurality of said adhesive strips disposed lengthwise in a mold.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the pressing step further comprises heating the said mold after pressurization at a temperature sufficient to substantially cure the adhesive strips.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the temperature is between about 120° C. to 150° C.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein pressing occurs at a pressure from about 10 MPa to 100 MPa.
5 . The method of claim 1 further comprises drying the elongate sections before applying an adhesive to the elongate sections.
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein drying the elongate sections the elongate sections comprises air drying the elongate sections in ambient temperature for about 1-48 hours.
7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein drying the elongate sections comprises oven drying the elongate sections at a temperature from about 45° C. to about 65° C. for about 12-24 hours.
8 . The method of claim 5 , wherein drying the elongate comprises drying the elongate sections to reduce the moisture content of the elongated strips to about 15% water by weight.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein applying an adhesive further comprises dipping the elongated strip lengthwise into an adhesive solution comprising phenol, formaldehyde, water, and sodium hydroxide.
10 . A manufactured wood product prepared by a process of claim 1 .