Masonite is a hardboard manufactured with a wet-process method.  Only with Masonite the cellulose fibers used are litterally produced by blowing wood fibers apart with steam.  Wood chips are subjected to high temperature steam in a pressurized vessel called (appropriately enough) gun.  The pressure is then suddenly released and the wood chips explode into fibers.

    The fibers can be further refined by washing out the fines and hemicellulose which is solubilized by the explosion process.  By removing those materials the dimensional stability of the final material is improved.
 

Return to particle board.