The general inventive concepts relate to engineered wood products. The engineered wood products demonstrate improved properties including acoustic damping, fire resistance, and water absorption relative to similar engineered wood products that comprise only a single source of fibers. In contrast, the inventive engineered wood products include a combination of at least two types of fibers.

A method of manufacturing a press pad is disclosed. The method includes: providing a planar pad having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface; cleaning the planar pad, the cleaning including electrostatically removing particulates from the first and second surfaces of the planar pad; and attaching a first release film sheet to the first surface and a second release film sheet to the second surface, the release film sheets being attached to the first and second surfaces using an acrylic-based adhesive containing thermoplastic polyolefin and methyl acrylate.

A multi-cavity forming mould system for forming a plurality of discrete three-dimensional cellulose products from an air-formed cellulose blank structure. The forming mould system includes a first mould part and a second mould part arranged for cooperating with each other during forming of the cellulose products. The first mould part includes a plurality of first forming elements and the second mould part comprises a plurality of corresponding second forming elements movably arranged in relation to a base structure of the second mould part. The forming mould system is configured for establishing a plurality of forming cavities for the cellulose blank structure between each first forming element and corresponding second forming element during formation of the cellulose products. Each second forming element is arranged for interacting with a pressure member arranged in the base structure, where the pressure member is configured for establishing a forming pressure in each forming cavity onto the cellulose blank structure during formation of the cellulose products.

Molded articles are provided. An exemplary molded article includes an inner panel portion, a main body portion, and a contoured portion extending between and interconnecting the inner panel portion and the main body portion so as to surround the inner panel portion and be surrounded by the main body portion. The contoured portion includes contoured corner segments and contoured elongated segments extending between respective pairs of the contoured corner segments. The contoured corner segments have a first maximum thickness. The contoured elongated segments have a second maximum thickness that is greater than the first maximum thickness. Related methods, assemblies, and apparatus are also provided.

Molded articles are provided. An exemplary molded article includes an inner panel portion, a main body portion, and a contoured portion extending between and interconnecting the inner panel portion and the main body portion so as to surround the inner panel portion and be surrounded by the main body portion. The contoured portion includes contoured corner segments and contoured elongated segments extending between respective pairs of the contoured corner segments. The contoured corner segments have a first maximum thickness. The contoured elongated segments have a second maximum thickness that is greater than the first maximum thickness. Related methods, assemblies, and apparatus are also provided.

Molded articles are provided. An exemplary molded article includes an inner panel portion, a main body portion, and a contoured portion extending between and interconnecting the inner panel portion and the main body portion so as to surround the inner panel portion and be surrounded by the main body portion. The contoured portion includes contoured corner segments and contoured elongated segments extending between respective pairs of the contoured corner segments. The contoured corner segments have a first maximum thickness. The contoured elongated segments have a second maximum thickness that is greater than the first maximum thickness. Related methods, assemblies, and apparatus are also provided.

Molded articles are provided. An exemplary molded article includes an inner panel portion, a main body portion, and a contoured portion extending between and interconnecting the inner panel portion and the main body portion so as to surround the inner panel portion and be surrounded by the main body portion. The contoured portion includes contoured corner segments and contoured elongated segments extending between respective pairs of the contoured corner segments. The contoured corner segments have a first maximum thickness. The contoured elongated segments have a second maximum thickness that is greater than the first maximum thickness. Related methods, assemblies, and apparatus are also provided.

A method of making a structural member from hemp stalks includes feeding a plurality of the hemp stalks into a baler that bundles and aligns the hemp stalks in a common axial direction. A hemp cord is used to bound the hemp stalks into a continuous hemp extrusion, which is then cut into a plurality of hemp logs that are then saturated with an adhesive mixture by an adhesive sprayer that coats each side of the hemp log, or a dip tank. Each hemp log is then introduced into a mold and compressed by 60%-80% to form an interlocking hemp board, a plurality of which are combined to form the structural member after drying by applying the adhesive mixture and then compressing the plurality of interlocking hemp boards in a press until cured. Such a structural member may then be further cut into a finished product, such as two-by-fours.

A method of making a structural member from hemp stalks includes feeding a plurality of the hemp stalks into a baler that bundles and aligns the hemp stalks in a common axial direction. A hemp cord is used to bound the hemp stalks into a continuous hemp extrusion, which is then cut into a plurality of hemp logs that are then saturated with an adhesive mixture by an adhesive sprayer that coats each side of the hemp log, or a dip tank. Each hemp log is then introduced into a mold and compressed by 60%-80% to form an interlocking hemp board, a plurality of which are combined to form the structural member after drying by applying the adhesive mixture and then compressing the plurality of interlocking hemp boards in a press until cured. Such a structural member may then be further cut into a finished product, such as two-by-fours.

A particleboard includes a fiber component and an adhesive composition including a mixture of a modified guayule resin and soy protein. The modified guayule resin can be a base-solvent modified guayule resin or an H.sub.2O.sub.2-modified guayule resin. The fiber component can be a natural fiber such as a natural fiber selected from guayule bagasse, wood chips, wood particles, wood waste straw, wood fiber, and any combination thereof. The particleboard is formed by mixing the adhesive composition with the fiber component, introducing the mixture to a press, and pressing the mixture in the press.