Some properties of laminated veneer lumber manufactured from oil palm trunk

Indonesia is the largest oil palm producer in the world and it was predicted that around 7 million metric tons was left in the field as a replanting waste, including palm frond and trunk. The utilization of this waste as a raw material of composite products may overcome the problem. The objective of this study was to determine the physical and mechanical properties of Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) made of oil palm trunk. Laboratory scale five-ply LVLs glued with urea formaldehyde adhesive were fabricated with five types of layer compositions i.e five-ply LVL with all layers made of oil palm trunk veneers (OP), five-ply LVL with face and back layers made of jabon veneers (J2), five-ply LVL with face, back and center core layers made of jabon veneers (J3), five-ply LVL with face and back layers made of mahoni veneers (M2), and five-ply LVL with face, back and center core layers made of mahoni veneers (M3). Results showed that the physical and mechanical properties of laminated veneer lumbers made from oil palm trunk were affected by layer compositions. Incorporating jabon or mahoni wood veneers in the structure of oil palm LVL improved the physical and mechanical properties of LVL.