The structure of wood: form and function -- Basic wood chemistry and cell wall ultrastructure -- Water in wood -- Dimensional instability in timber -- Wood quality: in context -- Wood quality: multifaceted opportunities -- Sawmilling -- Drying of timber -- Wood preservation -- Grading timber and glued structural members -- Wood-based composites: plywood and veneer-based products -- Wood-based panels: particleboard, fibreboards and oriented strand board -- Pulp and paper manufacture -- The energy sector: a hidden goliath.

This book is primarily a general text covering the whole sweep of the forest industries. The over-riding emphasis is on a clear, simple interpretation of the underlying science, demonstrating how such principles apply to processing operations. The book starts by considering the broad question "what is wood?" by looking at the biology, chemistry and physics of wood structure (first 4 chapters). This sets the scene. Next key chapters examine "wood quality" – explaining how and why wood quality can be so variable and implications for processing. Finally, in a series of chapters, various "industrial processes" are reviewed and interpreted. The 2nd Edition is a total revision. A few chapters remain relatively unchanged (no change for the sake of change). Many have been totally rewritten. All chapters have been written by specialists, but the presentation targets a generalist audience.