Forest Products and Wood Science: An Introduction

This fourth edition is a major revision of a classic textbook continues its long tradition of being an introductory text designed to introduce students to wood as an industrial raw material. It is intended to help develop an understanding of the physical and chemical nature of wood, important wood properties and the nature of major wood products. Wood-based materials discussed include solid wood products, structural and non-structural panel products, paper and fiber products, and how wood properties affect the use and performance of these products. Related issues examined include the use of wood for energy, environmental implications of wood-based materials, and the global wood supply. Divided into four parts: Part I introduces the growth and structure of hardwoods and softwoods, chemical and structural characteristics of wood and bark and inherent variability. Part 2 deals with the physical properties of wood, relating these properties to the chemical and structural characteristics covered in Part I. Part 3 discusses the principal major wood-based products, the basic manufacturing processes associated with each, and how raw material selection affects product properties. Part 4 focuses on the global raw material picture, use of wood as an energy source, and environmental implications of the use of wood.