Wood-based panel products are sheet materials manufactured predominantly from wood in the form of veneers, strips, chips, strands or fibres. The categories of board materials are: plywood, particleboards, oriented strand boards (OSB), fibreboards including medium density fibreboards (MDF).

Plywood was developed to provide panels of improved dimensional stability and good strength properties, both along and across the sheet. Wood particleboards and fibreboards were developed to provide utility sheet materials with uniform properties.

Four commonly used wood based panel types were introduced. The harmonised European standard for wood based panel products was also discussed with the different characteristics of panel products required for structural purposes. Different types of individual panels were also discussed with their relevant end uses.