Effects of beech wood dimensions and quality on edge-glued boards yield

The production of edge-glued boards is one of the possibilities of using European beech wood for products with higher added value. European beech is highly abundant in the forests of Central Europe, but it is a wood species that has specific characteristics that affect the efficiency of processing. The dimensions and quality of the raw material are determined by the standard. This study analyzes the influence of the quality of European beech raw material on the quantitative and qualitative yield during the production of cross-sections used to produce edge-glued boards. Results show that the effect of class (raw material quality) on the quantity of timber produced is not remarkable. For classes III.B and III.C, the most prevalent factors diminishing yield were the quality and extent of red false heartwood, as well as cracks. This study confirmed that superior raw material quality has a positive impact on the yield of blanks with the highest quality.