Patent ID: 7640664

Claim:
A process for manufacturing a wood-based composite panel that is not susceptible to top surface edge swell, the process comprising: (i) contacting flakes of wood with a first resin; (ii) orienting, in substantially alternate lengthwise and crosswise layers, the flakes of wood to provide a blanket of substantially oriented flakes; (iii) curing the first resin by exposing the first resin to at least one of an elevated temperature, an elevated pressure, and radiant energy for a sufficient period of time to effectively cure the first resin, thereby effectively providing a wood-based composite panel having a substantially level top surface and a substantially level bottom surface; and (iv) removing a top surface edge portion of the panel, thereby providing a panel that is not susceptible to top surface edge swell and having a top surface defined by a plurality of top surface sides, at least one of which having a size less than a size of a corresponding bottom surface side.