This handbook provides an overview on wood science and technology of unparalleled comprehensiveness and international validity.

It describes the fundamental wood biology, chemistry and physics, as well as structure-property relations of wood and wood-based materials. The different aspects and steps of wood processing are presented in detail from both a fundamental technological perspective and their realisation in industrial contexts. The discussed industrial processes extend beyond sawmilling and the manufacturing of adhesively bonded wood products to the processing of the various wood-based materials, including pulp and paper, natural fibre materials and aspects of bio-refinery. Core concepts of wood applications, quality and life cycle assessment of this important natural resource are presented. The book concludes with a useful compilation of fundamental material parameters and data as well as a glossary of terms in accordance with the most important industry standards.

Written and edited by a truly international team of experts from academia, research institutes and industry, thoroughly reviewed by external colleagues, this handbook is well-attuned to educational demands, as well as providing a summary of state-of-the-art research trends and industrial requirements. It is an invaluable resource for all professionals in research and development, and engineers in practise in the field of wood science and technology.

Before his retirement, Peter Niemz was the Director of the Laboratory for Wood Physics and Non-Destructive Testing Methods and the Head of the Wood Physics group at ETH Zurich. Throughout his professional career he lectured on wood technology at TU Dresden, Universidad Austral de Chile and the University of Sopron. Since 2002 he is a Fellow of the International Academy of Wood Science. He is on the editorial board of numerous wood related journals, including the European Journal of Wood and Wood Products.

Alfred Teischinger is a retired Professor of Wood Technology at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) in Vienna. He also acted as scientific director of the competence centre for wood composites and wood chemistry (Wood Kplus). His research focus is wood technology and processing. He was board member of various organisations linking wood science and technology such as InnovaWood, and he was associated to the committee of the prestigious Marcus Wallenberg Prize. Since 2013, he is a fellow of the International Academy of Wood Science and has been awarded with recognition of outstanding contribution to Wood Science.

Dick Sandberg is Chaired Professor of Wood Science and Engineering at Luleå University of Technology, specialising in computed tomography for the use in wood industry, advanced information processing and wood communication from felling to finished product. He is Editor-in-Chief for the journal Wood Material Science and Engineering. He has a background as specialist and manager of several companies in the wood industry sphere and the former Swedish Institute of Wood Technology Research and was a national delegate of several COST (Cooperation in Science and Technology) Actions.

A survey to forests and wood production.- PART A: Wood science.- Wood biology.- Wood biodeterioration.-Wood chemistry.- Physics of woods and wood-based materials.- Modeling the mechanical behavior of wood materials and structures.- Part B: Fundamentals of wood technology.- Basic processes.- Cutting and disintegration.- Drying and steaming.- Joining and reassembling.- Surface treatment and functionalization.- Preservation.- Reshaping and densification.- Measurement and quality assessment.- Part C: Industrial processes and materials.- Saw milling.- Lumber drying and steaming.- Wood-based materials.- Bioinspired materials.- Pulp and paper.- Natural fibre-based materials.- Utilization of wood for energy.- Wood biorefineries.- Process organization, automation and optimization.- Part D: Wood product development.- Wood product design.- Environmental impacts and life cycle analysis.- Part E: Important data.- Physical properties.- Relevant standards.- Chemical composition for selected species.- Thermal properties.