▁in ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁applications , ▁from ▁home ▁construction ▁to ▁commercial ▁buildings ▁to ▁industrial ▁products . ▁The ▁products ▁can ▁be ▁used ▁for ▁jo ists ▁and ▁be ams ▁that ▁replace ▁steel ▁in ▁many ▁building ▁projects . ▁The ▁term ▁mass ▁tim ber ▁describes ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁building ▁materials ▁that ▁can ▁replace ▁concrete ▁assemb lies . ▁▁ ▁Typ ically , ▁engine ered ▁wood ▁products ▁are ▁made ▁from ▁the ▁same ▁hard wood s ▁and ▁soft wood s ▁used ▁to ▁manufact ure ▁l umber . ▁S aw mill ▁scra ps ▁and ▁other ▁wood ▁waste ▁can ▁be ▁used ▁for ▁engine ered ▁wood ▁composed ▁of ▁wood ▁particles ▁or ▁fib ers , ▁but ▁whole ▁logs ▁are ▁usually ▁used ▁for ▁v ene ers , ▁such ▁as ▁p lywood , ▁medium - dens ity ▁fib re board ▁( M DF ) ▁or ▁particle ▁board . ▁Some ▁engine ered ▁wood ▁products , ▁like ▁orient ed ▁str and ▁board ▁( O SB ), ▁can ▁use ▁trees ▁from ▁the ▁pop lar ▁family , ▁a ▁common ▁but ▁non - struct ural ▁species . ▁ ▁Alternatively , ▁it ▁is ▁also ▁possible ▁to ▁manufact ure ▁similar ▁engine ered ▁b am bo o ▁from ▁b am bo o ; ▁and ▁similar ▁engine ered ▁cell ulos ic ▁products ▁from ▁other ▁l ign in - cont aining ▁materials ▁such ▁as ▁r ye ▁st raw , ▁whe at ▁st raw , ▁rice ▁st raw , ▁h emp ▁stal ks , ▁k en af ▁stal ks , ▁or ▁sugar ▁can e ▁resid ue , ▁in ▁which ▁case ▁they ▁contain ▁no ▁actual ▁wood ▁but ▁rather