Abstract: A system for orienting strands (e.g., wood strands) includes multiple rotatable shafts that extend perpendicular to a travel direction of a mat of aligned strands. Each shaft can include axially spaced agitation members that extend radially away from the shaft, such as in a direction parallel to the travel direction. A vane set can be positioned vertically below the shafts. The vane set can include multiple partitions that define inter-partition spacings parallel to the travel direction. In an example, an inter-partition spacing of the vane set can be greater along a bottom portion of adjacent partitions than along a top portion of the same adjacent partitions. In an example, an upper edge thickness of a partition can be greater than a lower edge thickness of the same partition.

Abstract: A system for orienting strands (e.g., wood strands) includes multiple rotatable shafts that extend perpendicular to a travel direction of a mat of aligned strands. Each shaft can include axially spaced agitation members that extend radially away from the shaft, such as in a direction parallel to the travel direction. A vane set can be positioned vertically below the shafts. The vane set can include multiple partitions that define inter-partition spacings parallel to the travel direction. In an example, an inter-partition spacing of the vane set can be greater along a bottom portion of adjacent partitions than along a top portion of the same adjacent partitions. In an example, an upper edge thickness of a partition can be greater than a lower edge thickness of the same partition.

Abstract: Methods for manufacturing an engineered wood product are disclosed. The method may include applying at least one preservative on the plurality of wood pieces; applying at least one resin on the plurality of wood pieces, wherein at least one of applying at least one preservative and applying at least one resin is configured to prevent interference among the at least one preservative and the at least one resin; forming a blanket of wood pieces from the plurality of wood pieces; and curing the at least one resin.

Abstract: A fiber-cement trim board is formed by a fiber-cement core layer faced with a pair of fiber-cement surface layers of substantially equal thickness in the core layer and have a cement-to-wood ratio by weight of between 2 and 3.5 and at least 70% of the wood strands have a length longer than 10 min. Each of the surface layers is formed of a fiber-cement mixture containing wood strands, at least 80% of which have a length of less than 4 mm and a cement-to-wood ratio by weight of between 2 and 3.5. The board is covered at least on the two main faces by a water barrier coating.