Masonite

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1944 Quebec license plate made of masonite. This was done due to metal conservation during World War II.

Skateboard ramp covered in masonite.

Masonite is a type of hardboard invented by William H. Mason.^[1]

History

Masonite was invented in 1924 in Laurel, Mississippi.^[2] Mass production started in 1929. In the 1930s and 1940s Masonite was used for many applications including doors, roofing, walls, desktops, electric guitars ^[3] and canoes.^{[citation needed]} It is still sometimes used for house siding and, if kept painted at regular intervals, it will last the life of the house. Its popularity later faded, but it is still used, most notably by hobbyists.

Production

It is formed using the Mason method, using wooden chips, blasting them into long fibers with steam and then forming them into boards. The boards are then pressed and heated to form the finished boards. No glue or other material is added. The long fibers give Masonite a high bending strength, tensile strength, density and stability. Unlike other composite wood panels produced using formaldehyde-based resins to bind fibers, Masonite is made using natural ingredients only, which makes it an environmentally friendly product.

Use

Artists have often used it as a support for painting, and in artistic media such as linocut printing. Masonite's smooth surface makes it a suitable material for table tennis tables and skateboard ramps. Masonite is also popular among theater companies as an inexpensive way to resurface stage floors.

Moving companies are large users of Masonite. Among other things, they use it to protect the walls of buildings they are working in, and lay it on floors to enable smooth rolling of dollies loaded with goods.

Masonite is widely used in construction, particularly in high-end renovations where floors are finished prior to other work and require protection. Sheets of ⅛" or ¼" masonite are typically laid over rosin paper on finished floors to protect them. The masonite sheets are taped together with duct tape to prevent shifting and to keep substances from leaking through.

Masonite is also used extensively in the construction of sets for theater and film and television. It is especially common in theaters as the stage floor, painted matte black.

It is also considered one of the best materials in the making of a Wobble board.

It is also called Marsonite. In Europe, this product is also known as Isorel.

To a lesser extent, Masonite is used as guitar bodies, most notably Danelectro.

Deterioration

Masonite swells and rots over time from exposure to sun and rain when it is used as exterior siding. In 1996, Masonite lost a class action suit brought by homeowners whose Masonite siding had deteriorated beyond the point of repair. The jury found that Masonite siding had rotted and swelled and a fund was established for homeowners to seek some reimbursement for the costs associated with replacing the Masonite.^[4]

See also

• Masonite International
• Engineered wood
• Fiberboard
• Glued laminated timber
• Hardboard
• Medium-density fiberboard
• Oriented strand board
• Particle board
• Plywood
• Pressed wood
• Wobble board

References

External links

Look up masonite in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Masonite Doors