NATURAL DURABILITY AND PERFORMANCE OF HORNBEAM CEMENT BONDED PARTICLEBOARD

Cement bonded particleboards were manufactured from hornbeam (Carpinus betulus L.) wood particles. Hydration tests were carried out to determine the inhibitory index in order to characterise wood-cement compatibility. The results revealed that the mixture of hornbeam -cement can be classified as moderate inhibition. Two wood: cement ratios were applied in this study, namely 1:3 and 1:4, for the board manufacture. It was found that an increase of cement-wood ratio resulted to an increase in all, but MOR values. All properties of the boards made from 1:4 wood: cement ratio, surpassed the minimum requirements set forth by the building type HZ code. Boards were exposed to brown and white rot fungi, Coniophora puteana, Trametes versicolor respectively. Overall, both fungi failed to attack the cement-bonded boards