PARTICLEBOARD AND MDF PANELS MADE FROM A MIXTURE OF WOOD AND PINECONES: RESISTANCE TO DECAY FUNGI AND TERMITES UNDER LABORATORY CONDITIONS

Abstract

Particleboard and medium density fiberboard (MDF) panels were produced using stone pine (Pinus pinea) cones, which were mixed with either wood particles or fibers from pine and beech wood at various ratios. Specimens from the panels were subjected to AWPA E10-06 soil-block tests using two brown-rot fungi, Gloeophyllum trabeum and Postia placenta and two white rot fungi, Trametes versicolor and Pleurotus ostreatus for 12 weeks. Specimens were also subjected to subterranean termites, Coptotermes formosanus, according to the JIS K 1571 standard test method for 3 weeks. Pinecone material in the furnish had no considerable effect on the decay resistance of particleboard and MDF specimens subjected to the brown-rot fungi; however, mass losses in the specimens exposed to the white-rot fungi were gradually decreased as the pinecone ratio in the furnish increased. No increased resistance was observed in the specimens exposed to the termites. In some cases, the specimens containing pinecone furnish had greater mass losses compared to the control specimens.