Synthetic Adhesives in Production of Engineered Wood Products: A Review

Adhesives used in the production of wood composite materials, including engineered wood, are a significant component that characterizes the performance of the final products. Also, the adhesive type, quantity and properties significantly impact the cost of the resulting materials. The aim of this review was to present some of the basic characteristics of bonding agents for engineered wood. Based on the information provided, a suitable adhesive can be selected to form final products that meet the needs of consumers. Therefore, it is of essential importance to know the advantages and disadvantages of adhesives, since global trends require the creation of environmentally friendly products. The latter must contain a minimum amount of free formaldehyde. The object of this review was to deliver an analysis of the most commonly used synthetic resins in the production of engineered wood products (EWPs), namely amino based, phenolic based, isocyanate, polyurethane and polyvinyl acetate.