Masonite

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Masonite is a type of hardboard formed using the Mason method (invented by William H. Mason) by taking wooden chips and blasting them into long fibres using steam and then forming it into boards. The boards are then pressed and heated to form the finished boards. No glue or other material is added. The long fibres give Masonite a high bending strength, tensile strength and stability. Masonite was invented in 1924 in Laurel, Mississippi. Manufacturing started in 1929. In the 1930s and 1940s Masonite was used for many things like roofing, walls, desktops, electric guitars, canoes, etc. Later, the popularity faded, but it is still used, most notably by hobbyists. Masonite is very smooth and has found use in table tennis tables and skateboard ramps. Masonite is also popular among theater companies as an inexpensive way to construct walls on-stage. Moving companies are large users of Masonite. Their use applications are varied, ranging from protecting the walls of buildings they are moving in and out of and laid down on the floors and halls of office buildings to enable the smooth rolling of their dollies loaded with packed goods. A large move can entail many hundreds of 3 x 5 foot sheets.

Also called Marsonite, in Europe, this product is also known as Isorel.