Press-Dried Paneling Shows Promise

Researchers at. the U. S. Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wis., have developed a lumber paneling which can be press-dried from the green condition in approximately 1 hour. The boards attain a uniform color throughout and can be produced from low quality logs of small diameter. Initial experiments were made with 0.6-inch boards pressed under a pressure of 50 psi at 350?F. Press times, drying quality, and subsequent color changes vary with the species but all species tested could be adequately dried (0.6 inch in thickness) in 1/2 to 1-1/2 hours. The only trouble encountered has been with hickory heartwood, which honeycombs badly. The material produced is extremely flat with increased dimensional stability. The panels are based on a 6 by 96-inch module. The boards come in widths of 2, 3, 4, and 6 inches when finished and in assorted lengths. The ends are tongue and grooved. The panels are assembled in 6-inch by 8-foot courses in the plant and packaged for step-by-step installation. Panels were made of press-dried maple, pitch pine, beech, chestnut oak, blackgum, and hickory.

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