Influence of the Thickness of Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) Veneers on Selected Properties of Flooring Materials

Abstract

The aim of our study was to analyze the influence of the thickness of Scots pine veneers on the chosen physical and mechanical properties of plywood-like composites dedicated to flooring applications. The utilitarian goal of the research is to replace three-layer flooring requiring high production costs with flooring materials of much cheaper (lower number but thicker veneers) and less specialized production. The only variable in the presented research is the thickness of the veneer creating the structure of the base layer of flooring materials. If we take into account that the number of veneers in the base layer can be reduced, it is the best way to reduce the number of materials (especially adhesives), to protect the environment. The research was conducted regarding basic mechanical properties that determine the suitability of flooring materials: modulus of elasticity, stiffness, and bending strength. The cross arrangement of the veneers in the tested samples in the base layer showed high values of the modulus of elasticity and stiffness. These values are higher than for three-layer commercially available composites. Despite the fact that the research was of pilot character, the results indicate a large potential for saving raw wood and for increasing the productivity of enterprises. The flooring materials were tested, but the test results are relevant in other applications built on materials with veneers in the form of plywood-like structure.