# William H. Mason

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American inventor and businessman (1877–1940)

**William H. Mason** (19 February 1877 - 24 August 1940) was an American research engineer and inventor,[1] who developed in 1924 the [Masonite](/source/Masonite) process,[2] by which wood is converted in fibers and subsequently into fibreboards without the use of any resin.

His invention, known as *[Mason method](/source/Masonite#Production)*, was actually realized by a laboratory accident.

## Education and invention

He was educated in engineering at the [Cornell University](/source/Cornell_University). Mason was actually apprenticed under [Thomas A. Edison](/source/Thomas_A._Edison).

Masonite was first formed by W. Mason using the so-called, **Mason explosion**,[3] in which [wood](/source/Wood) chips are disintegrated by saturating them with 100-pound-per-square-inch (690 kPa) steam, then increasing the steam or air pressure to 400 pounds per square inch (2,800 kPa) and suddenly releasing them through an orifice to atmospheric pressure. Forming the fibers into boards on a screen, the boards are then pressed and heated to form the finished product with a smooth burnished finish.

The original [lignin](/source/Lignin) in the wood serves to bond the fibers without any added [adhesive](/source/Adhesive). The long fibers give Masonite a high [bending](/source/Bending) strength, [tensile strength](/source/Tensile_strength), density, and stability. Unlike other composite wood panels, no [formaldehyde](/source/Formaldehyde)-based resins are used to bind the fibers in Masonite.

## Career

In 1924, Mason founded the Mason Fiber Company, which later became the Masonite International Corporation four years later. By October 1925, construction began on the company’s first plant in [Laurel, Mississippi](/source/Laurel%2C_Mississippi), aimed at producing insulation board and [hardboard](/source/Hardboard), with operations starting in 1926.

Mason continuously improved the Masonite product by enhancing its appearance and strength through a tempering process. Despite the economic challenges of the 1930s Great Depression, Masonite International Corporation flourished due to its affordability, quality, and durability, remaining a staple construction material even after the economy recovered. Mason was awarded numerous patents related to Masonite before his passing.

Mason died in 1940.[4]

## See also

- [Wood science](/source/Wood_science)

- [Masonite](/source/Masonite)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Moore, John Hebron (1961). ["William H. Mason, Southern Industrialist"](http://www.jstor.org/stable/2205276). *The Journal of Southern History*. **27** (2). Southern Historical Association: 169–183. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.2307/2205276](https://doi.org/10.2307%2F2205276). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0022-4642](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0022-4642). [JSTOR](/source/JSTOR_(identifier)) [2205276](https://www.jstor.org/stable/2205276). Retrieved 2024-09-28.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Masonite International Corporation"](https://visitjones.com/historic_locations/masonite-international-corporation/). *Visit Laurel & Jones County*. 2024-01-02. Retrieved 2024-09-28.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [U.S. Patents 1,578,609](http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?patentnumber=1578609) and [1,586,159](http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?patentnumber=1586159).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["1940 William H. Mason came to Mississippi after serving many years as Thomas Edison's assistant"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-delta-democrat-times-1940-william-h/9564799/?locale=en-US). *Newspapers.com*. 1940-08-28. Retrieved 2024-09-28.

## External links

- [History of Masonite International Corporation](https://visitjones.com/historic_locations/masonite-international-corporation/)

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