The following sections of this BookRags Literature Study Guide is offprint from Gale's For Students Series: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Works: Introduction, Author Biography, Plot Summary, Characters, Themes, Style, Historical Context, Critical Overview, Criticism and Critical Essays, Media Adaptations, Topics for Further Study, Compare & Contrast, What Do I Read Next?, For Further Study, and Sources.
(c)1998-2002; (c)2002 by Gale. Gale is an imprint of The Gale Group, Inc., a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Gale and Design and Thomson Learning are trademarks used herein under license.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Encyclopedia of Popular Fiction: "Social Concerns", "Thematic Overview", "Techniques", "Literary Precedents", "Key Questions", "Related Titles", "Adaptations", "Related Web Sites". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Guide to Literature for Young Adults: "About the Author", "Overview", "Setting", "Literary Qualities", "Social Sensitivity", "Topics for Discussion", "Ideas for Reports and Papers". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
All other sections in this Literature Study Guide are owned and copyrighted by BookRags, Inc.
Masonite is a synthetic hardboard used for insulation, panelling and general wall construction. It is made of compressed wood chips held together by lignin, a natural binding agent found in the wood. Masonite is produced by heating the wood chips and pressing them together to form large panels. When they are finished, the panels are smooth on one side and can be rough or smooth on the other. Masonite is a versatile, economical, and environmentally responsible product that allows wood scraps that once went to waste to be transformed into valuable building material. The product is sold under the brand names of Masonite and Abitibi.
The invention of Masonite could be considered a fortunate accident. During the 1920s, William Mason, an inventor from Mississippi, wanted to find a use for the tons of wood chips that were going to waste on sawmill floors. With financial backing from a lumber company in Wausau, Wisconsin, Mason worked on some of his ideas. Using a leaky nineteenth-century steam letter press, Mason's intended goal was to produce insulation board. One day in 1924, he accidently left the steam on while he went to lunch. He returned to find that the overdose of steam had produced a tough sheet of hardboard. Further tests proved that the product was resistant to weathering. The following year, Mason established the Mason Fibre Company, to produce his Masonite hardboard. The company later became the Masonite Corporation, which is now a subsidiary of the International Paper Company.