what is masonite

Masonite is a type of hardboard, which is a kind of engineered wood made of steam-cooked and pressure-molded wood fibers. It was patented by William H. Mason and is also known as Quartrboard, Isorel, hernit, karlit, torex, and treetex. Masonite is used extensively in the construction of sets for theater, film, and television, and is especially common in theaters as the stage floor, painted matte black. It is also used in the construction of sidewalks, cake boards, and guitar bodies. Masonite is a brand name for hardboard, which has been commonly known as "masonite" after the founder of the Masonite Corporation, William Mason, invented this wood product in 1924. However, over 20 years ago, the high cost of tung and linseed oil forced U.S. manufacturers to change the way they manufactured hardboard, and today there are very few true hardboard suppliers as the trend has shifted to MDF (medium-density fiber) panels that are less expensive to produce.