The Department of Wood & Paper Science at NC State University enjoys outstanding research facilities, including numerous smaller labs, a 1-ton on-campus recycling facility and two major laboratory complexes that emulate state-of-the-art industry conditions in both the wood products and paper and science sectors.

Biltmore Hall is home to WPS. Our main building provides us with nearly 83,000 square feet of teaching, research and extension space, including numerous laboratories devoted to the basic sciences that go into an understanding of wood, paper science and engineering and forest biomaterials.

The Hodges Wood Products Laboratory is a 21,000 sq. foot facility that contains a wide range of production woodworking equipment, testing machines and instrumentation for investigating the physical and mechanical properties of wood.  It includes dry kilns; a CNC moulder and router; finishing room; hot presses for making plywood,  particleboard and fiberboard; four universal and several other testing machines;  conditioning chambers and a wide range of production woodworking equipment.

The Robertson Pulp and Paper Laboratory Complex includes 82,863 square feet of research facilities and equipment plus a new, 3-story lab addition containing 27,500 additional square feet of laboratory space. The Robertson Complex mirrors state of the art industry facilities and allow students to innovate and test new materials while gaining experience under actual industry conditions. Its equipment supports research into chemical pulping; mechanical pulping; bleaching; fiber recycling; papermaking; paper testing for strength, stress resistance, durability and other factors; pulp processing; pulp and paper testing; and a variety of analytical services.

The American Home @ NC State is a unique demonstration neighborhood in the heart of the NC State campus that supports cross-disciplinary research into the development of new technologies, alternative building materials and new methodologies of design, landscaping and construction related to the housing industry of the future. This living research community is open to the public as an educational experience and supports exploration into energy efficiency, design and construction, materials and systems, furnishings, quality of life issues, land use, landscaping, finance and the business challenges affecting affordable home ownership.

For more on our facilities, please visit the NC State Facilities Division or take a Virtual Tour of our signature facilities.

Research

• Research Centers & Initiatives
  • Forest Biomaterials
  • Wood Chemistry, Pulping & Bleaching
  • Biotechnology & Enzymes
  • Papermaking/Wet-End Chemistry
  • Physics & Materials Science
  • Paper Recycling
  • The American Home
  • Sustainable Wood Materials
  • Wood Machining & Tooling
  • Value Added Wood Products
• Faculty Research
• BioResources
• Research Facilities
• Virtual Tour

Key Contacts