Wood utilization research in India was initiated in 1906 with the creation of Forest Research Institute, at Dehradun. During the First World War, identification and evaluation of Indian Wood for exploring the suitability for different end uses was necessitated and extensive research in forest products utilization thus began at FRI, with the result research data on anatomical, physical and mechanical properties, seasoning behaviour, durability and treatability characters were generated. During the Second World War attention was drawn towards utilization of indigenous species for defence uses. Rapid industrial development coupled with growth in population soon made the primary species scarce. The use of secondary species thus attracted attention in early 1950s. To overcome the problems faced in the use of secondary species, concerted researches were carried out at FRI, Dehradun and Forest Research Laboratory (now Institute of Wood Science and Technology), Bangalore in the field of processing grading, seasoning, preservation, peeling and gluing, wood working and finishing. 

        Forest Products Division at Forest Research Institute, Dehradun deals with research and development in the following disciplines:

Research facilities available:

     1.    Pilot plant for plywood..
     2.    Facilities for making particle board, fibre boards.
     3.    Testing facilities of wood based panels and adhesives as per IS standard and for different
            preservatives and their concentration.
     4.    Plants for wood treatment 
     5.    Facilities for measurement of physical and mechanical properties of timber and timber
            products and there performance evaluation as per IS specification. 
     6.   Specialized equipment like humidity chambers, wood bending and plasticization plant and
           facilities of solar, steam and vacuum drying. 
     7.   Testing facilities for wood working, finishing and carving qualities.
     8.   Facilities for evaluation of suitability of timber for structural use.

Services available:
 

• Analysis and testing of different types of preservatives and their concentration 

• Different types of preservatives, their application methodologies for a particular wood.

• Wood durability and treatability testing. 

• Determination of moisture content of timber, kiln seasoning, and consultancy to industry related with wood seasoning. 

• Testing timber and timber products and their performance evaluation.
    

Consultancy:
 

             On various aspects of timber and timber products utilization and their processing methods. 
Based on the work carried out on wood utilization at Forest Research Institute, about 200 IS Specifications on wood and wood products were formulated by Bureau of Indian Standards. These specifications are extensively adopted by Government Departments including railways, defense, PWD, housing boards, wood based industries and consumers.

Testing fee for wood and wood Products:
 

Sponsored Research:

             Evaluation of Radiata pine from New Zealand, funded by M/s Ace Global Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi.