Engineered Wood - Adhesives

Adhesives

The types of adhesives used in engineered wood include:

Urea-formaldehyde resins (UF)

most common, cheapest, and not waterproof.

Phenol-formaldehyde resins (PF)

yellow/brown, and commonly used for exterior exposure products.

Melamine-formaldehyde resin (MF)

white, heat and water resistant, and often used in exposed surfaces in more costly designs.

Methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) or polyurethane (PU) resins

expensive, generally waterproof, and does not contain formaldehyde.

A more inclusive term is structural composites. For example, fiber cement siding is made of cement and wood fiber, while cement board is a low density cement panel, often with added resin, faced with fiberglass mesh.