An experimental study of shape stability in glued boards

An experimental study of shape stability in wooden glued boards was performed to verify certain results of particular interest obtained earlier in numerical simulations. Possibilities for achieving products of good shape stability by gluing boards together in an optimal way are discussed. Since twist is often the most serious form of distortion defects for the user, it was the main type of board deformation considered. Three types of glued products were tested. The experiments show clearly that glued boards can be produced that remain stable in shape when exposed to extreme variations in moisture. The results agree well with the numerical simulations performed earlier. It was found that initial twist could be reduced by proper application of pressure during gluing and that through gluing the occurrence of cracking defects on visible surfaces could be substantially reduced.