Bamboo is suitable to be a material for the production of new products that can be used indoors and outdoors. Five-, seven- and nine-ply laminated woven bamboo mat boards from semantan bamboo, Gigantochloa scortechinii, were fabricated in this study. G. scortechinii has been used commercially in a structural application and is easily available in Malaysia. The present work investigated the physico-mechanical properties and flammability of the laminated bamboo mat boards as a function of the number of ply. Phenol-formaldehyde resin was used as a binder. The panels’ density, physical, mechanical properties, formaldehyde emission and flammability were evaluated. As the number of ply increased, the density of the laminated boards decreased. Similarly, the highest modulus of elasticity was found in 5-ply laminated boards. However, the lowest modulus of rupture was also measured in 5-ply laminated boards. Regarding shear strength, 5-ply and 7-ply laminated boards outperformed 9-ply laminated boards. Meanwhile, 7-ply laminated boards exhibited the highest dimensional stability, as evidenced by the lowest water absorption and thickness swelling. In terms of flammability, all composites are classified as V-0 because the burning stops within 10 s and no flaming drips are observed.

Oil palm trunk (OPT) veneers have the potential to be used in the production of plywood for marine applications. However, OPT is not resistant to fungal decay and termites, limiting its use in the production of marine plywood. As a result, in this study, phenolic resin treatment was used to improve the biological durability of OPT and produce marine grade equivalent (MGE) plywood. The OPT veneer was treated with medium molecular weight phenol formaldehyde (MmwPF) resin. The results showed that MmwPF resin with a solid content of 30% resulted in higher weight percent gain and polymer retention. Veneers treated with 30% MmwPF resin were then pressed for more than 10 min at temperatures above 140 °C. Dimensional stability, shear strength, bending strength, fungal decay resistance, and termite resistance were all tested on the plywood produced. The results of this study revealed that MGE plywood has satisfactory bonding quality and excellent biological durability. Good bending strength was recorded for the MGE plywood with modulus of rupture and modulus of elasticity ranged between 31.03 and 38.85 MPa and 4110 and 5120 MPa, respectively. Rubberwood, as a reference sample in this study, is not durable (Class 5) against white rot fungi and is moderately durable (Class III) against subterranean termite attacks. Interestingly, MGE plywood produced in this study was found very durable (Class 1) against white rot fungi. It is also durable (Class II) and very durable (Class I) against termite attacks, depending on the pressing parameters employed. Based on their outstanding bonding quality, bending strength, and biological durability, the study confirmed the feasibility of OPT plywood for marine applications.